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L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti: Griffith Park Possible Location For Joint Dodgers, Lakers Championship Celebration

Daniel Starkand
3 Min Read
Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers fans have waited a long time to celebrate a championship, and they finally were able to do so a bit when the team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win their first World Series since 1988.

The city of L.A. has had plenty to celebrate in recent weeks with the Lakers also winning the NBA title. The two teams both won it all in 1988, although it’s unique this time around with both championships coming in October due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Because of the pandemic, neither the Dodgers nor the Lakers have gotten the chance to host championship parades to celebrate with fans. Both teams have announced they plan to do so whenever it is safe enough.

L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti appears to already be working on potential details and mentioned Griffith Park as a possible location to host, via Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times:

“I definitely intend to have the opportunity for Angelenos to celebrate the Lakers and, on their own day, the Dodgers,” Mayor Eric Garcetti told The Times late Tuesday night.

How those celebrations might take place is uncertain, with social distancing still mandated as the coronavirus continues its significant spread throughout Southern California. One idea Garcetti threw out: a hilltop reign at Griffith Park. “Stick them up at the observatory,” he said, “and watch them preside over the town as champions.”

Garcetti did not say when the parades will take place, but this is obviously positive news for all parties involved since everyone is in the mood to celebrate in a safe and responsible manner.

Bellinger, James put pressure on Garcetti for parades

If Garcetti was not already in the process of planning parades, there’s no doubt Dodgers and Lakers players would be putting pressure on him to do so.

After the Dodgers defeated the Rays in Game 6, Lakers star LeBron James took to Twitter to ask when the parades will take place, to which Cody Bellinger responded, tagging Garcetti:

Where the pandemic goes in the next few weeks will determine how soon the parades will be. With coronavirus cases continuing to rise in L.A. county, Garcetti will likely do what is best for his constituents, even if it means postponing the Dodgers and Lakers parades to a later date.

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Daniel Starkand is a graduate from Chapman University with a degree in journalism and broadcast journalism. He grew up in Burbank, Calif. and played baseball at Burbank High and his first two years at Chapman. Along with serving as a senior writer, editor and social media manager for DodgerBlue.com, Daniel also writes for LakersNation.com. Contact: daniel@mediumlargela.com