ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9607010134
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES
SOURCE: Associated Press
THE DODGERS' MANAGER may return to the dugout Thursday after suffering a mild heart attack.
Tommy Lasorda said he hopes to be back managing the Los Angeles Dodgers within a week.
``That's what I'm shooting for,'' Lasorda told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday from his hospital bed. ``I belong back on the field. I need to be with my team.''
Lasorda said he hopes to rejoin his baseball team Thursday when it returns from a seven-game trip. He remained in stable condition Saturday after undergoing an angioplasty Wednesday to clear a blocked artery.
``He's resting. He could possibly come out of the hospital this weekend, but at this time it's still a day-to-day situation,'' said Shane Duffy, a Dodgers spokesman.
Lasorda, 68, was admitted to Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood on Monday with abdominal pains. Preliminary tests revealed an ulcer, but doctors also found he had suffered a minor heart attack. They do not know when the attack happened.
Lasorda was moved Thursday from the intensive care unit to a private room.
``I feel no pain whatsoever,'' Lasorda said. ``I'm just doing everything I can to take care of this ulcer. I had no idea I even had the [heart attack] or when it could have happened.''
Lasorda said he cannot imagine sitting out the season - let alone retiring.
``I just want to get back to the team,'' he said.
``I need to get this team going again and battling again.''
The Colorado Rockies beat the Dodgers 13-4 Friday night and 13-1 the night before.
``God almighty, I felt so sorry for the guys last night,'' he said Friday.
``It's been very tough and very difficult to watch this,'' Lasorda said. ``You sit here helpless. There's nothing you can do.
``I want to walk up and down, wanting to motivate them, give them spirit, but I can't even get out of bed. I've been out of bed only once.''
Coach Bill Russell is managing the Dodgers in Lasorda's absence but he was keeping up on the team.
``Tommy's called here to talk to the clubhouse,'' Duffy said. ``Right after the game the other night, he called immediately to talk to (Russell) a little bit.''
Well-wishers have inundated Lasorda with flowers, donations to his foundation and ``cards by the bundle,'' Duffy said. ``We're overwhelmed.''
Lasorda said he has gotten telephone calls from Frank Sinatra and NBA coaches Larry Brown and Mike Fratello, who called him Friday from Greece.
``You can't believe all of the love and support I've received,'' he said.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines KEYWORDS: BASEBALLby CNB