Before a pep rally at Dodger Stadium on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series victory over the New York Yankees with an open-top bus procession through downtown Los Angeles.
It was a celebration that had been planned for more than thirty years.
As the team passed on open-top buses, about 250,000 fans crowded onto the streets, their Dodgers jerseys casting a sea of blue among the concrete roads and buildings as they applauded and waved.
They saw Shohei Ohtani, the superstar, hold his dog Decoy in the air. Decoy had a parade access permit clipped to his collar and was wearing a No. 17 Dodgers jersey. He then remained calmly while little fans stroked him.
Ohtani spoke to the 42,000 spectators at Dodger Stadium when the procession arrived at the sun-drenched pitch.
As his teammates applauded behind him, he exclaimed in English, “This is so special.” “Being a member of this squad and being here is such an honour. Thank you, fans, and congratulations, Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t had a victory parade in over thirty years.
Their last World Series victory occurred in 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic put an end to any festivities, and their previous victory prior to that occurred in 1988.
The majority of the city appeared to be on the streets; some people even scaled traffic signals or fences to have a better view. Others painted windows along the procession route, and still others waved handkerchiefs, flags, and scarves.
Before the players, their families, and staff joined them in the centre, manager Dave Roberts danced and excited the audience as rapper Ice Cube opened the celebration inside Dodger Stadium with his performance of “It’s a Good Day.”
Each player, particularly World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, who made history this week just three months after having to leave the team to care for his three-year-old son Max, who was gravely ill at the time, was met with a wild roar as he spoke to the fans.
When he stepped onto the podium and the audience began shouting his name, he said, “What’s up, LA?”
He mentioned that he was recovering from a sprained ankle prior to the World Series when he said, “I only had one leg but I got a whole group of guys that had my back all year.”
From the bottom of my heart, three months ago, you guys supported my family and me when I returned after my son became ill.
One of the best things I’ve ever experienced on the pitch was that. I felt very moved. I’m happy I put in the effort to be on this pitch for you guys because we now have a championship.
Earlier this year, Freeman’s son Max was identified as having Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which nerve cells are attacked by the body’s immune system. Max became completely paralysed in July, so Freeman left the Dodgers to visit his family in the hospital. Doctors eventually predicted that his son would recover, and in August, Freeman returned to the team.
Both Friday’s celebration in the stadium and the victory parade were attended by Freeman’s family.
On what would have been Fernando Valenzuela’s 64th birthday, there were festivities. During the World Series, a uniform patch bearing the renowned Dodgers pitcher’s name and number was given in his honour.
He passed away last month. In observance of Valenzuela, LA’s City Hall was also decked out in green, white, red, and blue on Friday night. The Dodgers’ blue was combined with the Mexican flag.
