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If Los Angeles is acting a little superstitious this week, blame it on the Dodgers.
For many die-hard fans, it’s simply not enough to pay upward of a $1,000 for a night at Dodger Stadium, to fly the True Blue flag on your car and at your home, to dress your dog like a member of the starting lineup.
For the regular season, maybe. But this is the World Series, and that requires extreme measures.
So they wear the same unwashed Dodgers shirt each game. Eat the same meal every night. Sit in the same chair the entire time (even when the game lasts more than six hours). Pray to a Dodgers altar that features a Vin Scully bobblehead, a 1953 World Series program and a photo of Jackie Robinson signing his first contract.
There is that certain hat. That certain song. That certain bar. A lucky spoon. Every bit helps, right?
For Altadena resident Tom Horner, it was a votive candle that was not allowed to go out during Monday night’s marathon game.
His sister gave him the candle “after the magic of Freddie Freeman winning the World Series,” Horner told The Times, referring to Freeman’s extra-inning grand slam last year to take Game 1 against the New York Yankees.
Horner didn’t get home until the third inning, but a family member had lighted the candle, and the Dodgers had a lead. He said he made sure it stayed lighted until the end, when Freeman hit another walk-off home run.
Tom Horner lights his Freddie Freeman candle faithfully for each Dodgers game.
(Tom Horner)
He said he couldn’t confirm the candle’s potency in ensuring the win, but other fans, such as Javier Chavarin of Fremont, think they’re doing the trick.
In a note replying to The Times after we asked fans about the superstitions they observed to help the Dodgers win, Chavarin said that his pet was a key player for the Boys in Blue.
“Every time the opposing team has a runner at third base and less than two outs, I take my dog outside to pee,” Chavarin wrote. “I started doing this last year, and believe it or not, over half the time the opposing team does not score.”
Bernard Ohanian, a resident of Washington, D.C., said his ritual to help the Dodgers win is to avoid them altogether.
If he watches a live game, experience tells him the Dodgers will lose, and he can’t take that risk. That made him one of the few fans to sleep soundly Monday night.
On Tuesday morning, he said he rolled over in bed, took a deep breath and reached for his phone — confirming the victory. He then spent the rest of the morning catching up on all the details he missed.
The last time he saw a game in person was Game 7 of the 1988 National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser “was so good that year that he overcame the significant disadvantage of my being in the stadium,” he said.
In the section below, hear from Dodgers fans in their own words (edited for length and clarity) how they try bring good luck to the team as they try to become the first to win back to back World Series championships in 25 years. Submissions can be made here.
Gabriel Santos celebrates with his lucky Sandok, or lucky ladle, during the 2024 Dodgers World Series Game 5 win.
(Gabriel Santos)
Lucky Sandok
It’s called a Lucky Sandok in Filipino language. Which is a Lucky Ladle, or spoon. In Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, my family and I watched from an Airbnb in San Diego. Geritt Cole was throwing his no hitter. Desperate, I grabbed a plastic ladle from the kitchen to change the mojo. Kike Hernández gets a single to break the “no-no”. Maybe we’re onto something. Eventually the famous Top of the Fifth rally occurs and Dodgers win the World Series. I contemplated deeply about taking this clearly Lucky Sandok item home. But decided not to. However, a Lucky Sandok is now our family’s official Dodgers lucky item.
Gabriel Santos – West Covina
Four-step process
- Same Dodgers Jersey every game.
- Don’t move seat or couch position after the Dodgers score first or take the lead.
- Same meal after a win through the next game.
- Listen to Vinny say it’s time for Dodgers baseball.
Brian Grossman – Henderson, Nev.
Candlelight Freeman
The Freddie Freeman candle burns every game.
Tom Horner – Altadena
Two Shohei Ohtani jerseys
I became a fan of the Dodgers because I was on the Angels Little League baseball team and I was number five that made me a Freddie Freeman fan so I also became a dodger fan too. I’ve been wearing my two Shohei jerseys every day since the postseason started. I’m 10 years old and live in Michigan but the Dodgers are my favorite team. My dream is to see a game in Dodgers Stadium.
Henry McLaughlin – Ann Arbor, Mich.
Old faithful Dodgers cap
In 2024 I wore the same hat every day until the Dodgers won the World Series. This year, during the playoffs instead of wearing my shiny new 2024 World Champion Dodger hat, I wore the same hat from 2024 every day even at a work conference.
Derek Phillips – Pasadena
Rallying with a clear bag
I had bought a clear plastic Dodgers backpack to take with me to Dodger games. At home, I wear it as a rally cap during the games when the rallies are needed by the Dodgers to win. It works! Most of the time.
Florentine Leon – Redondo Beach
Memorabilia altar
I wear a Dodger’s hat that my brother brought back from Japan last year. My brother has an “altar” that features a Vin Scully bobblehead, a 1953 World Series program and a photo of Jackie Robinson signing his first contract among other items. His wife, Diane, added a buddha after Game 1 which seems to have worked. My brother and I were born in Brooklyn and are lifelong Dodger fans. Go Blue!
Micheal Kaiser – Northridge
Unwashed shirt, a proven winner
I always wear a Dodgers shirt when I watch them and I change them up from time to time. Always blue! Clayton Kershaw when he’s pitching or Sandy Koufax for extra mojo. I put on a shirt with the Dodgers logo, which says “Dodger Baseball” (makes me think of Vinnie) for the first Phillies game. They won so I wore it again, unwashed for Game 2. They won. I had to go somewhere for Game 3 and didn’t wear it. We lost. I wore it again the next day and we won the series. For the Brewers, I wore it in all the games and we swept. With Toronto, I couldn’t wear it for the first game as I was doing an event and they lost. Back on for games 2 and 3 for wins. 9-0 when I wear the same shirt; 0-2 when I don’t. Seems pretty obvious to me!
Randy Bertao – Los Gatos, Calif.
Dinosaur onesie luck
Dodgers were undefeated when my 6 month old wore a Dodgers onesie, until game 1 of the World Series. So we switched it up and now Dodgers are undefeated when he wears dinosaur prints!
Mandy B. – Pasadena
Cookie the Rabbit. I mean if a rabbit’s foot is lucky, a rabbit with all four feet still attached has to be 4x the luck, right? He tends to come out of the rabbit pen in rally situations or when the pitchers get into a jam. He’s a sweet old guy now, blind and a little wobbly, but over the last ten years he’s done good in the luck department. And he’s pretty good company for game watching.
David Clausen – Los Angeles
On the couch, Malinois on my lap, big cat on the floor, my bare foot extended. my husband switches up the foot rub to keep the energy up or switch it up! Right foot, then left foot, because you know the energy needs to keep flowing to keep the game going!
Samantha Weaver – Los Angeles
Can’t touch Dodger blue
I have numerous Dodger shirts, jerseys, caps etc. Unless I am attending a Dodgers game at the stadium on game day I cannot touch anything Dodger not even Dodger blue.
Richard Loa – Palmdale
L.A. bands playlist
I listen to my all time Los Angeles bands non stop during games to bring all the LA love: Los Lobos, X, the Doors, the Go-Gos, etc.
Georgia Wade – Davis, Calif.
Lucky veteran’s custom T-shirt
I went on the The Price is Right in June of 2023. Like many would be contestants I made a custom shirt that featured a photo of my Army Service from Afghanistan. I found photos of Bob Barker and Drew Carey in uniform and I put them on the shirt as well. I was one of 9 people selected to play. On the last pricing game I made it on stage. I won a car. Some say that earns you the title of game show royalty. I now only wear this shirt underneath an Ohtani Dodger Jersey at Dodger games. It was luck for me thus I use it to transfer my luck to my L.A. Dodgers. Born, raised and live in Los Angeles.
Allan Dollison – Los Angeles
Lucky winnings World Series shirt
In 1988, I won the office pool and with my hundred dollar winnings I bought myself a dodger hat, which is long gone, and a World Series T-shirt, which I have to this day. It comes out for every postseason game whether I’m watching at home or if I’m lucky enough to go see the game in person. I’ve also loaned it to family members who were attending the game. Still in pretty good shape although apparently I did some painting at some point wearing it!
Mary Alice – Lakewood
Rally banana shirt
I have a Kiké Hernandez Rally Banana shirt. I wear it ever postseason. Never fails!
Terry Sauer – Pasadena
Pup pee breaks, bad luck for opposing team
Every time the opposing team has a runner at third base and less than two outs, I take my dog outside to pee. I started doing this last year, and believe it or not, over half the time the opposing team does not score.
Javier Chavarin – Fremont, Calif.
Same chair, same hat
I wear my dodger hat and sit in the same chair for every dodger game. I never miss a game and never take my hat off.
Jim Foster – Las Vegas
A jersey with a great track record
In the 2020 World Series, every game I wore my Dodgers jersey, we won. The 2 games I didn’t, we lost. I didn’t wear it for game 1 of this series. But wore it for game 2 and the 2020 championship hat. I’ll be wearing it every game until we get that 9th ring. I grew up in Eagle Rock, so bleeding Dodgers Blue runs in my family.
Michael Leuallen – Canton, Ga.
Postseason pedicure
As soon as the Dodgers clinch a place in the postseason, I get a pedicure. Dodger blue nails with the L.A. logo in white on the big toes.
Margaret Johnson – Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Peddling toward a win
I typically ride my exercise bike during the first part of playoff games since they start so early on the West Coast. But then Game 3 got pretty nerve-racking, so around the ninth I hopped back on, intending to ride for an inning or two until it was over. Except one scoreless inning led to another, and by the end I’d been pedaling for over 4 hours and 66 miles until Freeman mercifully homered in the 18th. I figured I couldn’t stop or it would jinx the Dodgers, though my wife pointed out — maybe your biking is the jinx!
Andrew Colville – Los Angeles
Trusted T-shirt versus unlucky partner
I have an old, tired red T-shirt that I wear every game. I also let my wife know she is bad luck and prefer that she stays in the living room during the game. My claim to fame is that as a 13-year-old in 1955, I was lucky enough to see the Dodgers play in Milwaukee.
Mick Barnhill – Polson, Mont.
Sam Doctrow has a myriad of obsessive superstitions but her most consistent ritual is painting her nails Dodger blue during the postseason.
(Sam Doctrow)
Dodger blue nails
With my grandpa being an original Brooklyn Dodgers fan since the 1920s and later passing on the love to my dad who has been devoted to the team since the ‘60s, I was truly born to bleed blue. I have a myriad of obsessive superstitions to ensure a win, but my most consistent one throughout my life has been blue nails during the postseason.
Sam Doctrow – Los Angeles
Penny the dog’s bathroom breaks
Our dog Penny is our secret weapon for World Series wins. On her evening walk, Penny strolls by one of the Dodger players’ homes and likes to do her business in their front parkway. Don’t worry, we always clean up. Last year, we missed our walk before Game 4, and we all know how that ended for the Dodgers. We’re not going to let that happen again. Now excuse me, as I need to go walk my dog.
Bryan Hinckley – Pasadena
Can’t watch the Dodgers play live
During this World Series, I’ve noticed that when I’m actively watching the game, the Blue Jays will score. I’m on a self-imposed time-out and only keeping up with the game through the MLB app. I’ve never been this superstitious before nor has this happened with other playoff series but I’m not risking it. Go Dodgers!
Kimberly Martinez – Castaic
Chanting ‘Bucky Dent, Bucky Dent’
As a transplanted New Yorker, whenever there are two men on base, I yell out Bucky Dent, Bucky Dent, Bucky Dent. It worked only once, but I think that was because it was on Rosh Hashana, which it also was when Bucky Dent hit his famous three-run homer over the green monster.
Rabbi Jason Van Leeuwen – Van Nuys
