Stretch of 5 Freeway in Fullerton dedicated to legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda

FULLERTON, Calif. (KABC) -- A stretch of the 5 Freeway in Orange County has officially been dedicated to legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.

The Tommy Lasorda Memorial Highway passes through Fullerton, between Lincoln Avenue and Ball Road, a city that has long been acknowledged as the second hometown to the late Hall of Famer. Even though he was born in Pennsylvania, Lasorda lived in Fullerton and was considered a hometown hero.

The recognition ceremony was held on Opening Day for the West Fullerton Little League on Saturday. Among those in attendance was Lasorda's daughter and former Dodgers great Eric Karros, who played for Lasorda.

Karros shared some advice with the young players.

"When you're out playing Little League and you want to go out and have fun, you're with your friends. One thing Tommy used to always tell us is "you got to believe'."

Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died.

Asemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva said Lasorda embodied the spirit and love of the game of baseball. She authored the bill, passed by the California legislature, that dedicated the portion of the interstate in his honor.

"I think us giving a little history of who Tommy was, celebrating baseball and re-telling the legend that he was in here in Fullerton is always important for our younger generation," she said.

Laura Lasorda says she's excited to see the memorial - one of several extraordinary tributes to her late father.

"He's got an asteroid named after him, he has his portrait in the Smithsonian - which is unheard of for most people - he's got sandwiches named after him and now he's got a freeway named after him... It's so touching," she said.