LA celebrates Dodgers’ World Series win in massive downtown parade

Fans wave at Los Angeles Dodgers coaches and players as they are driven past on buses during the team’s baseball World Series championship parade Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

LOS ANGELES – Tens of thousands of Dodger fans packed onto downtown sidewalks Friday — some crawling atop bus stop shelters or climbing light poles — to get a glimpse of the team and the World Series trophy in a long-awaited championship parade.

The procession began an hours-long celebration that culminated with a high-energy rally at Dodger Stadium, where a sold-out crowd roared in approval as the team took the stage and held the championship trophy aloft.

Many fans reported arriving in the downtown area as early as 4 a.m. to get prime locations along the victory parade route. By mid-morning, a throng of people had amassed throughout the downtown area and along the route.

With fans flocking to the parade — and a planned celebration at Dodger Stadium Friday afternoon — Metro trains and buses were packed as they headed toward downtown. Metro officials reported throughout the morning that parking lots had been filled at various stations stretching from North Hollywood to East Los Angeles.

The parade, featuring team members riding atop double-decker buses, officially began shortly after 11 a.m. as the team was carried from Dodger Stadium to the downtown area. The caravan stopped outside City Hall, where Mayor Karen Bass — wearing a blue Dodger jersey — tried to speak to the crowd from aboard one of the buses, although she was barely audible over the cheering crowd.

Some Dodger team members could be seen in a partying mood aboard the buses, drinking beer and smoking cigars.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández waves a flag during the baseball team’s World Series championship parade and celebration at Dodger Stadium, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The buses were showered with blue and white streamers as they pulled away from City Hall to being the procession.

The buses, all painted blue and proclaiming the Dodgers 2024 World Champions, were flanked by an army of police motorcycle officers.

The 45-minute procession moved south on Spring Street, then west on First Street, south on Grand Avenue and west on Fifth Street, ending in the area of Fifth and Flower streets, where the buses then got on the Harbor (110) Freeway and headed back to Dodger Stadium for a championship rally.

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Los Angeles city officials estimated that 200,000 people attended the parade, which moved through the downtown area without any interruptions.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani smiles as he addresses the crowd during the baseball team’s World Series championship parade and celebration at Dodger Stadium, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

According to the city’s Emergency Operations Center, 23 people received medical assessments during the event, and four people were taken to hospitals for undisclosed reasons.

Fox11 reported that a man suffered severe injuries when he possibly fell from the roof of a building near Eighth and Flower streets.

There was no immediate word on arrests, although police confirmed that one person was taken into custody near Figueroa Street and Olympic Boulevard for allegedly throwing a bottle toward law enforcement officers.

The afternoon Dodger Stadium celebration got off to a raucous start as rapper Ice Cube took the stage for a two-song performance — during which a dancing Dodger manager Dave Roberts joined him.

Afterward, the team and their family members entered the stadium from centerfield and walked to the stage positioned behind second base.

Dodger President/CEO Stan Kasten began the program, telling the crowd that everyone in the organization has “waited a long time for this day.”

He said that all of his conversations with fans over the years has taught him one thing: “Every one of you cares just as much about being here today as everyone on this stage. Everyone one of you has waited for this day with as much anticipation as any of us involved with the organization, and all of us thank you all for that.”

Roberts then took the microphone and shouted: “You guys wanted a parade, we got a parade.”

“I want to thank you fans,” he said. “I want to thank you player. I love every single one of you guys. And guys, let’s get ready to run this thing back next year too.”

World Series MVP Freddie Freeman — who had to leave the team briefly in July when his son was diagnosed with Guillan-Barré syndrome and fell seriously ill — had gracious words for the fans and their support.

“From the bottom of my heart, three months ago, when I came back after my son got sick, you guys showed out for my family,” he said. “… That was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had on the field.”

He added, “I can’t wait to run this back next year.”

Pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who spent much of this season on the injured list and hasn’t thrown since August, noted that the team couldn’t have a parade after winning the title in the shortened 2020 season due to the pandemic.

“I’ve waited for this day for a long time,” he told the crowd, noting that “I didn’t have anything to do with this  championship.”
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`I’ve waited to celebrate for a long time,” he said. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else right now.”

Japanese slugger Shohei Ohtani earned roars from the crowd as he spoke a few words of English from the stage.

“This is (a) special moment for me,” Ohtani said. “I’m so honored to be here and be part of this team.”

And the ceremony had an emotional moment when Dominican outfielder and slugger Teoscar Hernández was brought to tears as he told the crowd, “I just want to say thank you.”

With the crowd cheering him on, he said, “I play this game to win.

And the Dodgers gave me the opportunity to come here so I can help this organization, this city, this team, these people win a championship. You guys made this dream come true. Thank you for making me a world champion.”

Dodger officials said a portion of the proceeds from the stadium event will be donated to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, “which is tackling the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos.”

The celebratory events were held on the 64th anniversary of the birth of legendary Dodger pitcher Fernando Valenzeula, who died Oct. 22.

“It’s going to be emotional,” Roberts said earlier. “Fernando was a friend of mine. I know he’s smiling right now and very proud of this organization. So he’s going to be missed. I’m sure it’s something that he would want to have been a part of, but it’s going to be emotional for all of us.”

The Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five years Wednesday night and eighth in their history, overcoming a five-run deficit to defeat the New York Yankees, 7-6, at Yankee Stadium and win the best-of-seven series four games to one. (CNS)