News and Events
Orange County Culinary Charities
Celebrity Chef Show featuring Guy Fieri of Food Network
August 8th and 9th 2009 - Anaheim, CA
Casa Torelli Imports and Lasorda Wines are product sponsors for the August 8th and 9th event at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel. Featured at the Guy Fieri Celebrity Food Show event will be our Lasorda Championship Pinot Grigio del Veneto IGT as well as our Gold Medal Chianti Classico Gallo Nero DOCG. In addition, featured in the celebrity green room, will be our il Poggiale Morello Toscano Rosso and our Trebbiano Toscano Bianco.
The Anaheim Hilton Hotel
777 Convention Way 2nd floor
Anaheim, Ca 92082
Tommy Lasorda gets 'Legend' award, pitches wine
By Janet Begley
Originally published 04:39 p.m., January 20, 2009
Updated 04:47 p.m., January 20, 2009
Photo by Eric HasertA day after receiving the first Senior Resource Association’s Living Legend award, former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda autographs a bottle of his new signature line of wine for Art Friedman during a wine signing event at the at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort on Tuesday. "Tommy and I have bumped into each other and have mutual friends, some whom are coaches and some that I played with in college" Friedman said about meeting Lasorda at the event.
WABASSO — When former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda talks about wine, he suddenly becomes an expert on something other than baseball.
Lasorda, who was in Vero Beach Monday evening to accept the Senior Resource Association’s Living Legend award, signed bottles of his most recent vintage for about 50 guests Tuesday morning at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
“Every bottle comes from Italy,” Lasorda told fans who came to purchase a minimum of three bottles for the reduced price of $25 per bottle. “Nobody can make wine better than the Italians.”
The wine regularly retails for about $37 a bottle and is available locally on the menu at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. The wines are imported by Casa Torelli Imports in Santa Monica, Calif., and are bottled in Monteforte d’Alpono, Italy. The wines have received medals at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition.
Guests had Lasorda sign the individual bottles, which are distributed by his son-in-law Billy Goldberg.
“He came to me and said we have an opportunity to get in on this,” Lasorda said. “I’m not in it to make money for myself but for him, my daughter Laura, and granddaughter Emily. He really does all the work, but I do get him some good customers.”
Lasorda said that while he always enjoyed red wine, he has developed a new appreciation for the pinot grigio that his line offers.
“I was in Italy years ago and I had dinner with Anthony Quinn,” Lasorda said. “He told me ‘don’t ever drink white wine,’ so I didn’t. But when the pinot grigio came out, I took a swig of it. It was so light and tasty, I couldn’t believe it.”
Roberta and Dan Maher of Boston, Mass., were intrigued by the chance to meet Lasorda, not for his wine, but for his contribution to baseball.
It seemed like a unique opportunity,” said Roberta Maher, adding that they are open to trying Lasorda’s wines. “But you certainly associate his name with the Dodgers. He’s a legend of baseball.”
Disney spokesman Ryan March said that Lasorda has an on-going relationship with the resort because of his ties to the Dodgers baseball organization. Last February, the hotel named a small stretch of grass “Lasorda Field” to recognize Lasorda’s place in Vero Beach history.
Lasorda said that he has fond memories of his 59 years in Vero Beach as a Dodger. “When it’s time for the big ‘Dodger in the Sky’ to call me home, I’ll take a lot of memories with me,” he said.
This article was cited from www.tcpalm.com
Tommy Lasorda Honored By Order Of Japanese Emperor
Dec. 2nd 2008 - Los Angeles
On December 2nd, the Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda will be honored by the Japanese Emperor and receive the Order of the Rising Sun for his contributions to the development of Japanese baseball.
Lasorda will receive the honor in Los Angeles from Counsul General Junichi Ihara on behalf of the Emperor.
"I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award," said Lasorda. "I have the highest respect for the Japanese people and have loved working with them in every aspect to help build a bridge between our two countries through baseball."
The Order of the Rising Sun was established in 1875 by the Meiji government in Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government and is awarded in the name of the Emperor.
The Order of the Rising Sun was first allowed to be conveyed to non-Japanese residents in 1981. There are six classes, and the one Lasorda will receive will be "Gold Rays with Rosette".
Lasorda began his association with Japanese baseball in 1965, when he traveled to work with the Tokyo Giants as a guest coach. He instructed them on all aspects of the game: hitting, fielding, pitching, base running, and strategy.
He also gave advice on scouting techniques and setting up a player development system. Starting in 1965, the Tokyo Giants won nine consecutive titles.
The Dodgers then toured Japan in 1966, playing a series of games against Japanese teams. Japanese teams have also made many visits to the Dodgers spring training in Vero Beach over the years.
The Dodgers returned to Japan in 1993 to play in the Akihiro "Ike" Ikuhara Friendship Series. Ikuhara was a long time Dodger front office employee who served as the Dodger's conduit to Japan for many years. He had passed away the year before the series was played.
1995 saw Hideo Nomo arrive in Los Angeles, creating a wave of "Nomomania." His success opened the door for many more Japanese players to come and play in the Major Leagues. Lasorda was instrumental in aiding Nomo in his transition to life in the Majors as well as life in the United States.
Most recently, as Official Ambassador during the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006, Lasorda traveled to Japan. In addition to his duties as spokesperson for the tournament, Tommy threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the games played in Japan.
Cited from www.BleacherReport.com
Innaugural Coca Cola Holiday Parade
Dec. 13th 2008
Grand Marshall Tommy Lasorda Lighting of Christmas Tree - Tommy Lasorda
Gelson's Market signing event with Tommy Lasorda in Hollywood
Dec. 13th 2008 - 11:30am to 1:00pm
Come meet Tommy Lasorda.
Buy 3 Lasorda Brand wines and get
a complimentary autograph.*
Gelson's Mayfair Hollywood
5877 Franklin Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 464–7316
*For every three bottles purchased, one bottle will be signed. Absolutely no
autographs on sports memorabilia; only Lasorda Wines will be autographed.