CHAVEZ RAVINE’S CHARM BEATS HOLLYWOOD GLAM
Cali equivalent of Fenway or Wrigley is a different side of L.A., Rob Longley says.
The view is iconic, from the palm trees in left field, to the distinctive scoreboards and, off in the distance, the San Gabriel Mountains as the backdrop.
But that’s just the beginning of the charm of Dodger Stadium, a revered slice of Southern California that may be underrated among the more storied sports venues in North America.
The crowd of 54,253 on Tuesday was the largest crowd to witness a World Series game live since 2003 at Yankee Stadium, a testament to the sprawling layout of the old ballpark.
And in its own way, Chavez Ravine — as the locals prefer to call it — certainly pays homage to the history of the franchise.
“One of the best things about being a Dodger is playing in Dodger Stadium,” third baseman Justin Turner said.
“Every day when I get to the stadium (on the way to the field) I walk through the Dodger museum, basically, the Dodger Hall of Fame.
“All the great names on the wall, all the Gold Gloves, MVPs, Cy Youngs and World Series trophies … it’s something that I don’t take for granted. It’s something I feel extremely proud about — to put on the same uniform as those guys who have their name on the wall. I try to soak it in every chance I can.”
The fans get a taste as well, with nods to the past throughout the scenic venue just north of downtown L.A. Opened in 1962, Dodger Stadium is the oldest ballpark west of the Mississippi and third-oldest overall, behind Boston’s Fenway Park and Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Fittingly, the main road into the stadium is named Vin Scully Avenue, after the broadcaster who retired last year. There is a shrine to Scully inside, as there is to much of the franchise.
Because of its age, Dodger Stadium isn’t loaded with amenities and has just one thin row of luxury boxes. The sight lines are solid throughout, however, and don’t forget Dodger Dogs (yes, they’re a thing.)
Then there are the celebrities you’d expect from being in the Hollywood ’hood. Among the A-listers at Game 1 were Jerry Seinfeld, Jimmy Kimmel, Dustin Hoffman, Lady Gaga and George Lopez. For Game 2 on Wednesday, longtime Los Angeles sports fan Tiger Woods was on hand, decked out in a Dodgers jersey.
And a special treat was delivered Wednesday when Scully wandered out to the mound, microphone in hand, to toss the ceremonial first pitch. The roar was deafening for the voice of the team for 67 years.
Instead of throwing, Scully feigned a rotator injury and called for help. On cue, Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela walked out of the dugout to another roar. To the delight of generations of fans, Scully led the crowd in a recital of the words they have grown to love: “It’s time for Dodger baseball.”
Is it the most comfortable stadium in the big leagues? Not even close. But after a 29-year absence, it’s certainly added some character and colour to the 113th World Series.
PITCH PERFECT
As good as he was in Game 1, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw acknowledged the perception that it’s advantage pitcher the first time around, especially against an opponent that is seeing him for the first time.
“Any time a pitcher hasn’t faced a hitter, I feel the pitcher has the advantage,” Kershaw said. “The more times the hitter sees somebody, the more the advantage goes to the hitter. With (Astros Game 1 starter Dallas Keuchel), there’s a lot of guys we haven’t faced in each other’s lineups, and that can only help the pitcher. Once they start seeing you … they’re going to see me now in Game 5, so there’s going to be some adjustments being made, just like our hitters.”
Kershaw, by the way, became just the second pitcher in history to record 11 strikeouts without a walk in a World Series game.
QUICK HITS
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Lance McCullers will get the ball for Game 3 on Friday in Houston with Charlie Morton up on Saturday … In an on-field ceremony before Game 2, MLB honoured Giancarlo Stanton of the Florida Marlins and the Astros second baseman Jose Altuve as winners of the Hank Aaron Award, honouring the top hitter in each league. Aaron was on hand to present … With the temperature at 39 C at first pitch, Game 1 went down as the warmest on record in World Series history.