Dodgers Tommy Lasorda gets a statue at the Latin Baseball Hall of Fame, Tommy Lasorda tiene estatua in Salon de Fama de Beisbol Latino

Dodgers legend Tommy Lasorda recently got a statue at the Latin Baseball Hall of Fame in La Romana, Dominican Republic.  See the Latin Baseball Hall of Fame website here: http://www.salondelafamadelbeisbollatino.com/.

Lasorda is well known in baseball circles as being friendly to Latin players and a huge fan of Latin baseball.  He was a founding member of the Latin Baseball Hall of Fame, so it is natural that they gave him a statue.  Lasorda's  most significant contribution to Latin baseball is probably the 1973 Caribbean Series, in which he led Tigres del Licey to the title.  The team set a mark for the best record ever in the series at 5-1.

He now serves as the Latino Hall of Fame's Goodwill Abasodor and is a Special Advisor to the Chairman of the Dodgers.  He has been with the Dodgers for six decades.

Tommy Lasorda in 2010 Spring Training appearance with the Dodgers, by SD Dirk on Flickr

Latino Baseball Hall of Fame inducts 2011 members

The Latin Baseball Hall of Fame was founded last year and inducted their second class on February 12, 2011.  Fourteen new members were inducted, and over 20 men were inducted in the inaugural year last year.  See the full list at the Salon de Fama del Beisbol Latino site.

The Dominicans now members of the hall are 2010 nominees Felipe Alou, Juan Marichal, and Tetelo Vargas, and the 2011 inductees Rico Carty and Horacio Martinez.

Juan Marichal statue in San Francisco, By Eric Molina on Flickr

The induction ceremony has taken place in the resort city of La Romana, Dominican Republic the last two years and there are plans to build the hall in this city, though construction has yet to begin.

See the full article and further commentary at the Dominican Baseball Examiner.