On April 7, 1977, At Dodger Stadium, Frank Sinatra keeps his promise to Tommy Lasorda by singing the Star-Spangled Banner on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. ‘Old Blue Eyes’ had told the team’s new skipper he would perform the National Anthem if his friend ever became the L.A. manager.

 Lasorda makes his managerial debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lasorda guides the team to a 5-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Don Sutton goes all the way for the Dodgers giving up just 4 hits, Steve Garvey lead the way with 2 hits and 2 RBI’s.

Lasorda had taken over for longtime skipper Walter Alston at the end of the 1976 season, going 2-2. Lasorada will lead the 77 team to the World Series to face the Yankees, they will also face them in 78 and 1981. The colorful Lasorda will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1997…

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about the game, players, ballparks and the people that shaped the game!”  subscribe_button=”Join us!” show_subscribers_total=”1″]

Subscribe to our Podcast

The Daily Rewind

on Apples Podcast | Spotify  | Google | Stitcher

And connect with us wherever else you listen to Podcast and hangout!

Game ticket & learn more about the players, teams, stadiums and dates in history

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Los Angeles Dodgers 5, San Francisco Giants 1

Game Played on Thursday, April 7, 1977 (D) at Dodger Stadium

SF  N    1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  1
LA  N    1  0  0    0  1  1    2  0  x  -   5  9  1

BOX+PBP
WP: Sutton (1-0)
LP: Montefusco (0-1)
HR: Thomasson (1)

Play by Play

GIANTS 1ST: Thomasson homered; Andrews flied out to right;
Madlock grounded out (shortstop to first); Evans doubled to
right; McCovey struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1,
Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Lopes lined to second; Russell lined to left; Smith
singled to center; Cey doubled to left [Smith scored]; Garvey
struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 1.

GIANTS 2ND: Whitfield flied out to center; Speier grounded out
(third to first); Hill walked; Montefusco singled to left [Hill
to second]; Thomasson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants
1, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 2ND: Monday grounded out (shortstop to first); Baker
flied out to left; Yeager struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Giants 1, Dodgers 1.

GIANTS 3RD: Andrews reached on an error by Cey [Andrews to
first]; Madlock grounded into a double play (shortstop to second
to first) [Andrews out at second]; Evans walked; McCovey
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1,
Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 3RD: Sutton singled to left; Lopes forced Sutton (third
to second); Lopes stole second; Russell flied out to right
[Lopes to third]; Smith flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 1.

GIANTS 4TH: Whitfield grounded out (first to pitcher); Speier
was called out on strikes; Hill singled to left; Montefusco
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 4TH: Cey grounded out (shortstop to first); Garvey
struck out; Monday struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1,
Dodgers 1.

GIANTS 5TH: Thomasson struck out; Andrews flied out to right;
Madlock flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1,
Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 5TH: Baker singled to center; Yeager singled to left
[Baker to second]; Sutton walked [Baker to third, Yeager to
second]; Lopes struck out; Russell hit a sacrifice fly to center
[Baker scored]; Smith flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
Giants 1, Dodgers 2.

GIANTS 6TH: Evans walked; McCovey lined into a double play
(second to first) [Evans out at first]; Whitfield flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 6TH: Cey lined to left; Garvey singled to center; Monday
lined to center; Baker reached on an error by Speier [Garvey to
second, Baker to first]; Yeager singled to right [Garvey scored
(unearned), Baker to third, Yeager to second (on throw)]; Sutton
struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 3.

GIANTS 7TH: Speier grounded out (shortstop to first); Hill
popped to second; THOMAS BATTED FOR MONTEFUSCO; Thomas grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers
3.

DODGERS 7TH: WILLIAMS REPLACED THOMAS (PITCHING); Lopes flied
out to right; Russell doubled to left; Smith was walked
intentionally; Cey walked [Russell to third, Smith to second];
Garvey singled to right [Russell scored, Smith scored, Cey to
third]; LAVELLE REPLACED WILLIAMS (PITCHING); Monday struck out;
Baker walked [Garvey to second]; HALE RAN FOR BAKER; Yeager
flied out to right; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 5.

GIANTS 8TH: HALE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Thomasson grounded
out (first to pitcher); Andrews grounded out (shortstop to
first); Madlock grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 5.

DODGERS 8TH: Sutton was called out on strikes; Lopes grounded
out (pitcher to first); Russell popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Dodgers 5.

GIANTS 9TH: Evans flied out to center; McCovey struck out;
Whitfield grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Giants 1, Dodgers 5.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Giants           1   4   1    5
 Dodgers          5   9   1    9