One of my personal stories about Tommy ... 2004 was my first year on the #Dodgers beat full-time and LAD went to Fenway Park for an interleague series. One day, all the beat writers filed into the manager's office (Jim Tracy at the time) for his daily pre-game briefing (cont)

Tommy was on the trip and, as usual, holding court in the clubhouse while we were with the mgr. When Tracy finished, we all filed out of his office and, one by one, through the cramped clubhouse and out to the field. Tommy spotted us and greeted each of us, often with nicknames.

"Hey, Mouse, how ya doing? Hey, T-Jax. Hey, Plaschke." Then he saw me. "Hey ..." he paused. He knew he should know me. I'd been around LAD for years as a backup writer and columnist out in Palm Springs. Met him many times. But all he could come up with was "Hey ... Big Guy!"

For weeks, I was "Big Guy." Until the last trip of the year. In SF. I walked into the media dining room and Tommy was there -- holding court -- at a table in the crowded room. He spotted me and shouted out, "Hey, Bill. How ya doing, Bill? Come on over, Bill." (cont)

I swear he used my name at the end of every sentence for the next half-hour.