Tommy Lasorda has 'mild' heart attack

NEW YORK, June 5 (UPI) -- Former Los Angeles Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda suffered a mild heart while with other team officials in New York for baseball's draft, the team said Tuesday.

Lasorda, 84, reported becoming ill Monday night and was taken to a hospital in New York. The diagnosis was a mild heart attack and the Dodgers said Lasorda could be released from the hospital as soon as Wednesday.

Lasorda played in just 26 major league games for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Kansas City Athletics in 1954-56. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1955. Lasorda, a left-handed pitcher, was 6-9 with a 6.48 earned run average.

He became a scout in 1961 and was a minor league manager for several seasons before joining the Dodgers as third base coach for long-time Manager Walter Alston in 1973.

Lasorda took over the team as manager in 1976 and lasted until 1996, building a 1,599-1,439 record. Los Angeles won the World Series under Lasorda twice (1981, 1988) and he was a two-time National League Manager of the Year.

The Dodgers retired his jersey No. 2 and he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.