In the aftermath of the LA fires, a renewed belief in the healing power of sports

It wasn’t that long ago that Los Angeles was on top of the world. The Dodgers were the World Series champs, feted by tens of thousands of joyous fans in a boisterous parade through downtown L.A.

Two months later, came the wildfires and the terrible losses.

In the weeks since the fires tore through the region on Jan. 7, the sports community has played a prominent role in relief efforts, be it through the donations of franchise owners or superstars visiting with first responders and those displaced by the fires.

DodgerFest offered fans many photo ops with props like this giant replica of a Dodgers foam finger.

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Josie Huang

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LAist

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Meanwhile, the games in season have gone on, giving fans an outlet into which they can pour their emotions.

Ossie Collins, a big fan of the Lakers and Dodgers, says he need only look to Los Angeles’ past to remember how sports uplift.

In 1992, when civil unrest rocked the city after LAPD officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King, Collins, then in his teens, found himself looking for comfort.

He turned to the Dodgers, which returned to Dodger Stadium 16 days after the unrest, so he could just have "something that felt normal."

"You don't know what you're feeling," Collins said. "But when you see something you enjoy, it just makes you feel good, even for a little bit of time, it just brings you relief."

Millions in donations

Collins was among the thousands of fans who showed up Saturday for DodgerFest, the annual fan extravaganza for die-hards who brave long lines for a chance to see their favorite players and pick up gear for the upcoming season.

A sober undercurrent ran through this year's edition. Proceeds from ticket sales and fundraisers were going to wildfire recovery. The Dodgers' foundation has, along with Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter and his foundation, pledged to give up to $100 million to relief efforts.

"I think a lot of people outside of L.A. do not understand that L.A. is strong and resilient, and sports are a reason for that," said Amanda Rykoff who attended DodgerFest.

Amanda Rykoff of West Hollywood came to DodgerFest, happy that part of the proceeds from the event were being directed to fire relief.

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Josie Huang

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LAist

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Rykoff works in development for Jewish Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Los Angeles, which hosted a pop-up camp at its Glendale facilities for Altadena kids affected by the Eaton Fire. Rykoff, whose close friend and work acquaintance lost homes in the fires, was grateful for sports philanthropy.

Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer has pledged to match the $60 million-plus raised by the FireAid concerts held at his venues, the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome, where his NBA franchise plays.

"Sports has an incredible power to bring people together, to not only celebrate wins, but also show that we are a community," Rykoff said.

The atmosphere and crowds for DodgerFest made it feel like game day.

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Josie Huang

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LAist

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Giving hope

There are plenty of examples of sports helping to get communities back on their feet. Think the New Orleans Saints after Hurricane Katrina. Or the New York Yankees after 9/11.

Sports also proved a bright spot during the COVID-19 pandemic. Toyin Green, a kindergarten teaching in L.A., was teaching via Zoom and the kids were having a hard go of it. Then she remembered the Dodgers had just won the 2020 World Series the day before.

Dodger fans braved long lines and crowds to attend DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium.

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Josie Huang

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LAist

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"I said, 'Wait a minute, you guys, today's a special day," Green said. "We won a game. Do you know what happened? And then they were like, 'Yay, Dodgers!' And they all ran and got their Dodger stuff."

Their parents joined them on the Zoom squares, cheering and wearing their own Dodgers gear.

Another fan Jacob Mandel, a Navy veteran from Torrance, said he leaned on his love of the Dodgers as he moved around the country, from station to station.

Christian Gonzalez (r.) and Jacob Mandel (l.), veterans attending UCLA, bonded over their love for the Dodgers.

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Josie Huang

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LAist

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"I actually watched the Dodgers lose their back-to-back World Series on my [aircraft] carrier," Mandel said. "It was a pretty miserable experience."

He says tasting defeat, though, only makes seeing the Dodgers succeed even sweeter. Whenever he’d get homesick, he’d pick up the phone and talk Dodgers with his dad.

"The Dodgers have been present for some moments, where I felt a little bit down," Mandel said. "And, you know, they do have a big place in my heart. And I love them to death."