Dodger legend still has got a lot on his plate

Major league baseball’s 76th All-Star Game will be played Tuesday at Detroit’s Comerica Park, and former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda admits he still gets a buzz just thinking about the sport’s summer showcase.

Or perhaps he’s just recalling his last All-Star assignment in 2001, when the shattered barrel of Vladimir Guerrero’s bat flew his way, sending him reeling heels-over-head backward in the third-base coach’s box. Not exactly the artful Dodger, but Lasorda, then 73 years old, was back on his feet in seconds.

Lasorda posted a 3-1 record as an All-Star skipper during his two-decades-plus as manager of the Dodgers, for whom he still holds the title of special advisor to owner Frank McCourt. This is his 56th season overall with the team, which is just a tad longer than he’s been married to wife Jo. The Lasordas live in Fullerton and love to plan their own all-star weekends.

Tender mercies

As you know, I love to eat, and on Friday nights one of our favorite places for dinner is Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. It’s fun to walk around that whole area now, and that restaurant is fantastic. I like to order the fresh fish, but they’ve also got a steak filet that you can cut with your fork. For dessert, the place I really like is over in Pasadena. I was having dinner with [restaurant critic] Elmer Dills once at the old Chronicle, and he suggested getting out of there and going over to a place called Burger Continental for cheesecake, and I’ve got to tell you, it was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Marathon man

On Saturday morning I like to go to Mimi’s Cafe for breakfast. I like sausage with my ham-and-cheese omelet, but it seems as if they only have links out here on the West Coast, and I got used to sausage patties while I was growing up back East, where that’s about all you can get.

After that I might work out for a while on my treadmill at home, because I still have such an active schedule with appearances and speaking engagements that I have to stay in shape. I just got back from Japan, where I was asked on behalf of President Bush to attend World Expo 2005. I was so excited for another opportunity to do something for my country and the president.

People always ask me what the highlight of my baseball career was, and they expect me to say winning a World Series, but it was being manager of the first U.S. team to win a gold medal in the Olympics. That was tremendous because we were representing this country.

Later on Saturday, I might go to a USC football game or the Dodgers game if they’re in town. After the game, I’ll stop by Paul’s Kitchen downtown for the greatest Chinese food around. I’ve been going there so long they even named a dinner after me. I really like the orange chicken.

Sweet spuds

On Sunday morning we’ll have breakfast at home, something light, and then go to church near our home in Fullerton. Then I might go to a Lakers or Clippers game and head back home for dinner. We like the Lone Star Steakhouse in Tustin. It’s got the best sweet potatoes of any restaurant I’ve been to. After that we’ll relax at home and watch some old movies, something with James Stewart, Robert Taylor, Tyrone Power or John Wayne.

I remember years ago Frank Sinatra sent me a movie to watch, and it turned out to be one of my favorites: “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit.” They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.