By Lucas Camacho
The streets of Los Angeles were packed like never before. Tickets selling out in a matter of minutes. And people were cheering and having the time of their lives. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Taylor Swift coming to town. It was an event that the City of Angels waited 36 years for: a parade to celebrate the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the World Series. In 2020, the city couldn’t have a parade due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Truth be told, the last time the team had a parade was back in 1988.
Crowds were lining the streets as fans chanted the names of different Dodgers players that contributed to the team’s World Series run, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, Shohei Ohtani, etc. Clayton Kershaw was ecstatic enjoying his first parade. The three-time Cy Young Winner and 2014 MVP had been waiting for a parade; the only thing missing from his illustrious career that will surely be awarded with an induction into the Hall of Fame. And of course, people, one person that definitely earned this parade is Freddie Freeman. The injuries and when his youngest son Max’s health problems had people wondering if he would walk away from baseball. But Freddie proved he was a fighter, and no moment showcased that better than his walk off Grand Slam in Game 1. Many chanted Freddie’s name as he rode by the crowds of people, cheering on the man who more than earned the World Series MVP award.
The fans throughout the parade route and Dodger Stadium were taking in every moment of this special day. The team could feel the energy and adoration of the crowds. It’s hard to find a fan base as passionate and loyal as the Dodgers’ fans. Many people came skipping work or school (don’t worry, I won’t say who) and came from all over different counties to witness this amazing celebration. There were other media outlets reporting over 100,000 people came to witness the parade, Mayor Karen Bass said it was tens of thousands, but me…I honestly don’t think either number is even close.
Another thing to remember on this day is that this day would have been Fernando Valenzuela’s 64th birthday. I can’t think of a better present to have given the late Dodgers legend than a parade celebrating a Dodgers World Series title on his birthday. Also, it’s the last hurrah for Daniel Hudson, who announced his retirement after the conclusion of the World Series. What better way to end your career than after helping your team with the World Series?
As the parade ended, the energy in Dodger Stadium, where the rally took place, was turned up to insane levels. The party in the stadium really kicked off as the buses approached the stadium. The music was blaring, the organist was playing, and the chants of “LET’S GO DODGERS!” filled every eardrum in the place. Fans even waited near the gates where the buses pulled up. Rapper Ice Cube got the crowd pumped before the players walked the blue carpet (yeah, not the red carpet, the BLUE carpet) onto the field. It was enjoyable seeing Dave Roberts joining Ice Cube and getting into it. Then came the moment of truth: watching the Dodger ownership, their families, and the team themselves walk out to the roars of the crowd with the championship trophy in tow. I laughed seeing Walker Buehler almost leaping into Clayton Kershaw’s arms for a big celebration hug.
After a few thank yous and words from Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten, we got to hear from the players. Kasten was right: the Dodgers players were having just as much fun as the fans. And the Dodgers also got the fans pumped by saying they were going to “run it back” and the constant chant “they not like us” (quoted from a certain famous song that you may or may not have heard of). It is mind boggling to think how widespread the Dodger fan base is: in Mexico, Dominican Republic, South Korea, and Japan. Kike kicked things off the only way he knew how, while Freddie thanked the fans for their constant support. Mookie really got the crowd pumping saying he wanted “at least 5 or 6 more titles” with the Dodgers. Teoscar was visibly overwhelmed by the adoration and cheers of the crowd. Then came the moment Dodgers fans waited for a long time: to hear Clayton Kershaw give an emotional speech at a World Series rally (even thought he said he had nothing to do with the Dodgers 2024 run). Every speech was filled with so much raw emotion amid the cheers of the crowd. And there was no better way to have ended the celebration than hearing the unofficial anthem of Los Angeles: Randy Newman’s “I Love LA” (followed of course by Queen’s “We Are the Champions”).
This was a great day for Dodgers fans, more than I can ever express. I grew up to be a Dodgers fan, and I bleed Dodgers blue just as much as anyone. The joy that I feel is something I can see in the eyes of my fellow Dodgers fans. This truly was a day we will remember for the rest of our lives: both fans and the team. Kirk Gibson said it best when asked if he liked winning the World Series or MVP more and it went something like this: “You win the MVP award, you have a small party for yourself, and that’s okay. You win the World Series; you get a parade…that’s a big party…” And it really was a big party celebrating all the big bats and clutch arms that let the Dodgers tear through the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets, and the New York Yankees to win the World Series (yes, we did have to beat the city of New York twice). I know we all enjoyed it, and we hope to do it again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that…
