We all know the Dodger Stadium as the home of baseball in Los Angeles, but this field of dreams also plays host to quite a few amazing and one or two unusual events throughout the year. From Yasiel Puig’s poker night to the Spartan Race, there was something for everyone. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s events.
Skechers Performance LA Marathon – March 19
One of the biggest marathons of the year and a personal milestone for many of the 24,000+ entrants kicked off once again in Dodger Stadium. And as usual, it was a hugely successful event. Did you know that on average over 50% of runners in the LA Marathon run for the first time? Apparently, it’s the perfect race for novices, but we reckon it’s just so they can say they ran in Dodger Stadium.
World Baseball Classic – March 20-22
In March, the World Baseball Classic arrived in Dodger Stadium, and we were lucky enough to host the semifinals and the final. We’re sure you all know what happened in the final, so we won’t go into too much detail, but suffice to say that the 8-0 win over Puerto Rico will live long in the memory of every fan that was present.
Yasiel Puig’s Wild Horse Poker Tournament – May 22
Yasiel Puig decided to follow the lead of teammates Clayton Kershaw, Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner by hosting a charity night of his very own; he chose poker as his ideal way of raising money for those in need. Attendees included Larry King, George Lopez and some of Puig’s teammates. But before they all sat down for a hand of Texas Hold’Em or Omaha Hi-Lo, there was a silent auction of some donated memorabilia. If this becomes a regular thing, then you might want to start practicing your poker online or with your buddies. If the chance comes along to play a few hands at the Dodgers Stadium, you don’t want to pass that up.
Blue Diamond Gala – June 8
The third annual Blue Diamond Gala took place on the June 8, and it was a roaring success. A star-studded crowd of 1,500 attended the gala, which included performances by Grammy-winning bands Maroon 5 and Earth, Wind and Fire. Celebrities such as Larry King, Ariel Winter and Mario Lopez joined players including Justin Turner, Logan Forsythe, Corey Seager and many more at the event, which raised over $1.5 million for the LA Dodgers Foundation.
Spartan Sprint – Aug 19
This year, one of the toughest races around came to Dodger Stadium on a hot, summer’s day. The Spartan Race allows you to build a team of work colleagues, family members or even just your poker buddies to take on a series of sprints and obstacles throughout the stadium. It was a great way to get a closer look at the stadium on a non-game day, but we reckon those runners didn’t care too much for their surroundings. That race looks tough.
X Night at Dodger Stadium – Aug 16
If you know your LA music, then you know the punk band X. They are what you might call an LA institution. Celebrating their 40th year on the road, the punk band was the guest of honor at the interleague game against the Chicago White Sox. Singer-bassist John Doe gave his rendition of the national anthem while Exene Cervenka threw the ceremonial first pitch. Yes, we know this was a baseball game, but hey, it was X, and they rock.
From sweaty Spartan runners to celebrity poker players, Dodger Stadium has hosted it all this year, and we’re sure that 2018 will hold more of the same. Let’s just hope that the next time around though, we’ll have a different outcome in the last game of the season and something a little more exciting to write about. That World Baseball Classic wasn’t enough, it’s time for the boys to bring home that Commissioner’s Trophy.
