LA holds virtual World Series title celebration
LOS ANGELES -- Just like everything else this year, the Dodgers had to adjust the celebration of their World Series championship, holding it virtually with fans on Wednesday night through multiple broadcasting and social-media platforms, including MLB.com.
“This is Our Year,” words of manager Dave Roberts that became the Dodgers’ mantra on their way to the championship, was the title of the night. The show was woven around Zoom interviews with Roberts and a half-dozen of the club’s biggest names, including a trio of veterans who finally won their first rings -- Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner -- plus National League MVP Award finalist Mookie Betts, World Series MVP Award winner Corey Seager and right-handed ace Walker Buehler.
“Welcome to the club,” said Orel Hershiser, MVP of the 1988 World Series and current SportsNet LA host.
The show opened with a video of fans celebrating the final out, which drew emotional responses from several of the players viewing it for the first time.
“Seeing the reaction of the fans cheering for the first Dodgers championship of their lifetime -- no offense to you, Orel, but we’re sick of hearing about ’88 and the 32 years and we’ve been going at it for quite a while now,” Turner said. “My heart’s pounding right now, bringing this championship back to L.A. When you watch that video, you see just what it meant to all of our fans. Special times to be in Los Angeles, with the Lakers winning, too.”
Roberts said he was happy for the veterans because “the burden just builds and builds” as the drought continued, “but nobody wants to admit it, because you don’t want it to bleed into your mindset.”
Nobody represents the highs and lows of the journey to a title better than Kershaw, who arrived on the scene in 2008 and took 10 trips to the postseason before finally winning it all.
“I told J.T., I just play, ‘We Are the Champions,’ over and over again in the house every day,” said Kershaw, who said he continues to throw. “People walk by, I put it outside the house, just to make sure people remember we won. Dead serious, my kids are sick of it. At least for the next few months, I’m going to live it up.”
Turner rebutted suggestions that a title this season had less significance because of the shortened schedule.
“There were so many things that went into this that made it more challenging than a normal year, I won’t think any less of this championship,” Turner said. “In fact, I think it’s even more special.”
Hall of Fame broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín sent in taped congratulations, with the 92-year-old Scully noting he has seen all seven Dodgers World Series victories, while Jarrín has broadcast all six in Los Angeles.
“Today, I could not be happier or more thrilled to congratulate each and every one of you,” Scully said. “I know how hard it is to win.”
In his first year with the Dodgers after being traded by the Red Sox, Betts said he was glad he could help “put us over the edge.” The outfielder also said his greatest memory of 2020 will be the bonding that occurred when the club spent a month in the postseason bubble in Texas, including a Halloween trick-or-treat for the kids.
There were also cameo salutes by entertainers Brad Paisley, George Lopez and Ken Jeong; Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti and councilman Gil Cedillo; and former Dodgers players Steve Garvey and Andre Ethier.
“From where this team was way in the past when I started, to where it is now, I was so proud of the guys,” Ethier said. “I texted some saying I saw some similarities from 2017 rising up, but this team was digging deep and figured a way to overcome and finally get over that hump. Me and my boys were celebrating like crazy.”
The Dodgers plan to hold an official World Series celebration at a later date.