LA Dodgers are MLB's melting pot, with complex history to show
From Latino families' eviction from Chavez Ravine to dynastic ascendence and international alure, the Dodgers tell a complex American story.
LOS ANGELES – It was Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on March 26, and a pregame ceremony paused as fans waited for the arrival of the two World Series trophies the Los Angeles Dodgers had won the past two seasons. Finally, a blue Cadillac lowrider driven by actor Will Ferrell parted the center-field gate and pulled onto the warning track. Two of the car's occupants were the World Series trophies, and up went cheers, especially from thousands of Latinos in the Pavilion section beyond the outfield walls.
“That’s how you got to do it in L. A. ,” declared Matthew Oviedo, 32, who grew up in East Los Angeles, one of the prominently Latino communities where lowriders were popularized.
Latinos make up about 40% of the Dodgers fanbase. But like the team, the city in which they play and America at large, Dodger fans are an ethnic melting pot – White, Asian, Black and Latino. Heritage Nights have become popular for MLB teams celebrating different cultures, and this season the Dodgers have scheduled seven – one night each for Japanese, Mexican, Filipino, Black, Guatemalan, Salvadoran and Korean cultures.
As America's 250th anniversary approaches , the Dodgers provide a powerful lens through which to view the country's history − specifically, issues of social migration, civil rights and immigration. In the past 10 months, Dodger Stadium has been used for celebrations and protests. Celebrations of the team’s success as the Dodgers seek a third straight World Series title.
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