Ohtani and the LA Dodgers celebrate World Series victory with parade and stadium celebration
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani and his dog, celebrated their eighth World Series championship with a downtown parade on Friday.
Seven double-decker buses filled with players, their families and the coaching staff rolled through streets packed on both sides with blue-clad fans. The Los Angeles Police Department estimated the crowd to be 150,000.
A jubilant manager Dave Roberts hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy.
“This is incredible,” World Series MVP Freddie Freeman said. “LA really showed out today.”
Several players smoked cigars and drank beer on the sun-splashed day.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever been part of,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “I’ve never seen this many people in my life. They’re all Dodger fans.”
A shirtless Kiké Hernández hung over the front of his bus with a beer in his hand. Ohtani held his dog, Decoy, in his arms with his wife, Mamiko, nearby.
“I’m totally overwhelmed with the amount of fans who are here,” Ohtani said through an interpreter as the bus rolled along. “It’s been an incredible year. I’m so happy that I was able to contribute. The fans and everybody has been so welcoming.”
Asked if he would take his shirt off like Hernández, a smiling Ohtani shook his head and replied in English, “No, never.”
Walker Buehler, who pitched the ninth inning in the Series finale, did a beer bong while wearing Orel Hershiser’s jersey from the team’s 1988 World Series championship.
“This is crazy, man. I love this,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said.
Fans cheered and waved at their heroes. The parade occurred on what would have been the 64th birthday of Fernando Valenzuela, the 1981 NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year winner who died days before the World Series began.
The Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games, clinching the title with a 7-6 victory in the Bronx on Wednesday.
The team said that because of logistics, traffic and timing, fans wouldn’t be able to attend both events.
The parade began at Gloria Molina Grand Park as part of a 45-minute route that culminated at the intersection of 5th and Flower streets.
The celebration was to continue at Dodger Stadium, where thousands of fans were waiting and watching the parade on the videoboards ahead of the team’s arrival.
A portion of the proceeds from the ticketed stadium event will be donated to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
There were more than a dozen arrests during informal celebrations after the team’s comeback win to clinch the Series. Burglaries, vandalism and fires occurred in some parts of the city.
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