Latest news with #Dodgers-themed
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Beloved coach diagnosed with ALS receives custom wheelchair from Dodgers, Freeman
A beloved high school baseball coach and lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan diagnosed with ALS was honored Monday night with a life-changing gift. Jason Ramirez and his family were the guests of honor at Dodger Stadium prior to Monday's first pitch against the New York Mets to receive a custom Permobil power wheelchair. Advertisement Ramirez, former varsity baseball coach at California High School in South Whittier, was diagnosed with ALS in 2023. The neurodegenerative disorder eventually forced Ramirez to retire from a 20-year coaching career. A custom Dodgers-branded wheelchair that was gifted to Jason Ramirez on June 2, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Getty Images) On Monday, Ramirez was joined on the field by his family and reigning World Series Most Valuable Player Freddie Freeman to receive the custom Dodgers-themed wheelchair and a standing ovation from the more-than 48,000 in attendance. 'The former coach of the year poured his heart and soul into his passion for youth and baseball each and every day,' read Dodger Stadium announcer Todd Leitz during the emotional ceremony. 'We're thrilled to present him with a custom Los Angeles Dodgers branded Permobil wheelchair to assist him with the independence he needs and deserves.' Advertisement Freddie Freeman presents Jason Ramirez with a special wheelchair in a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium on June 2, 2025. (Getty Images) Freddie Freeman presents Jason Ramirez with a special wheelchair in a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium on June 2, 2025. (Getty Images) Freddie Freeman presents Jason Ramirez with a special wheelchair in a pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium on June 2, 2025. (Getty Images) The donation was made through the Dodgers, Freeman himself, the Permobil Foundation and Live Like Lou, a nonprofit that provides support for those suffering from ALS and helps fund research for a cure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, whose namesake shocked the world more than 85 years ago when he announced his diagnosis with the—at the time—relatively unknown disease. Gehrig was a six-time World Series Champion, an MLB Hall-of-Famer and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the game's history. Freeman family donates $1M to children's hospital where son was treated Advertisement His historic streak of 2,130 consecutive games played ended mysteriously in May 1939 after he voluntarily removed himself from the team's lineup due to an undiagnosed ailment. He would later become the most high profile American to be diagnosed with ALS, and two weeks later, would say his goodbye to the sport in what is now known as the 'Luckiest Man' speech. 'For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth,' Gehrig said to a collection of media members and thousands of stunned and somber fans at the original Yankee Stadium. 'I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for.' Lou Gehrig is shown before the mic delivering his farewell speech on on July 4, 1939 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. (Getty Images) Gehrig died from the debilitating disease on June 2, 1941, two years after his farewell. Since 2021, June 2 has been celebrated league-wide by Major League Baseball as Lou Gehrig Day. Advertisement On Tuesday, all MLB teams on the schedule wore a No. 4 patch on their jerseys in honor of Gehrig. His number is also retired by his one and only team, the New York Yankees. This past Sunday also marked the 100-year anniversary of the beginning of Gehrig's historic consecutive games played streak. As for local hero Jason Ramirez, a verified GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds in his fight against ALS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Four Brands to Fire Up for 420
Sunday isn't just about bunnies and egg hunts this year! The celebratory weed enthusiast "holiday" known as 420, and Easter are on the same date this year— something that hasn't occurred since 2014. Since legalization in 2018, Los Angeles has recognized the value of (high)lighting this thriving industry, especially local purveyors, companies who give back to their communities and those who innovate within the space. Plus, the research is fun. Here are four brands and new products (available in or from California) to try this 420, plus two honorable mentions to really make it a celebration. Thematic packaging and branding partnerships make Jeeter stand out from the pot pack. We loved getting their Dodgers-themed preroll boxset in the mail at the start of MLB season, a set which celebrates our local champions past wins, aka their "Journey of Glory." The brand also offers celebratory Dodger Blue apparel. For 4/20, they unveiled a host of new products, also blue-hued. Their "Clouded" quad-infused pre-roll line features Rosin concentrate (made from pressing flower between two heated plates to squeeze the resinous oil out of the trichome), which promises a more full-spectrum effect. It's also available in vapes. Timeless, known for quality vape products, is quickly making its mark on the infused pre-roll market via its Tumble line, which just came to California last month. A top-performing brand in Arizona and Missouri, the indoor flower infused products offer THCA diamonds, which bring big flavor and long lasting potency. Each joint is geared towards a different mindset. "Rise" is a Sativa strain cultivated to spark creativity and motion; "Flow" is a hybrid meant to offer a balance of both energy and relaxation, allowing smokers to feel uplifted and engaged; and "Drift," an Indica dominant strain, is made for unwinding, rest and de-stressing. Speaking of packaging, KOA Cannabis company offers some of the coolest out there. Their mini pre-roll smokes feature live resin and top-shelf indoor flower (with above 35% THC for maximum high). They also come in arty, limited-edition collectible tins, each featuring Koa the sloth, the brand's adorable mascot. Designed to reuse as a pillbox or container for your own hand-rolled goodies later, they are very collectable and super cute. The sloth imagery suggests a play on the stereotype that pot lovers are slow-moving, but it's really about a love for the animal. The owners, who are L.A. based, have a Sloth Conservation Foundation, focused on a commitment to preserving nature and rescuing these unique creatures from the threat of extinction. Since 2018, Sauce has sought to innovate with its colorful cannabis products, like their purple Dream Pen CBN vapes (specifically made for bedtime and sleep), infused pre-rolls and "Burst" gummies. Now in California, the brand's range of products continues to grow with new flavors (White Widow and Platinum Rose) and a rainbow of vibrant vapes. Check out their new Strawberry Cough "shorties"— strong Sativa minis with a fruity yet skunky aroma and a euphorically cerebral high. Honorable Mentions (2): With 5mg THC per 1.5oz serving, this new, just launched canna-cocktail brand promises a light buzz with a refreshing fruity flavor, great as a mixer or alone Blazy SusanThe "High Roller Club" box by this cannabis accessory company has everything you need to turn a smoking session into a special event, with a grinder, tray, rolling papers and cones, games and other amusements.
Los Angeles Times
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Knock at-home hot dogs out of the park this baseball season
This weekend, consider the Dodger Dog. On Thursday, our baseball boys in blue returned to Chavez Ravine for the 2025 MLB season. But the game also marked the return of one of the world's most legendary stadium eats: the Dodger Dog, an icon since 1962, which features a 10-inch pork hot dog that's either grilled or steamed. Whatever your preference, it's always a nostalgia trip. Its recipe, of course, has changed over the years. For most of its life, the dog itself was made by Farmer John in Vernon, which called for more than 5,000 pounds of meat, spices and corn syrup in a single batch. In 2021 Papa Cantella's — also based in Vernon — took up the meaty mantle and remains the current maker. At the stadium, there are corn-dog variants, plant-based spins, bacon-wrapped iterations, kosher versions, chili-topped options, fried dogs, gluten-free alternatives and more. The glut of glizzies is never-ending because, contrary to L.A.'s reputation as a green-juice-guzzling collective of health fanatics, this is a hot dog city. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council's latest published records, Los Angeles was the country's top consumer of hot dogs in 2023, eating more than 30 million pounds annually. That same organization found that Major League Baseball fans consumed 18.3 million hot dogs in 2019 — with Dodger fans eating 2.7 million of them. Whether the Dodger Dog is a great hot dog is a decades-old debate among Angelenos, but one thing is certain: This hot dog is undeniably a part of the city. 'I don't think anyone thinks it's a good hot dog and that's OK, you know?' said restaurateur Tommy Brockert, a lifelong Dodgers fan. 'But it's nostalgic, it's part of the experience. It doesn't have to be good, it just feels right.' Brockert owns La Sorted's, a popular Dodgers-themed pizzeria. After operating in Silver Lake since 2021, last fall he debuted a Chinatown tavern that's plastered with memorabilia near the stadium. He added hot dogs to the menu at this location in honor of the Dodger Dog and occasionally serves a Dodger Dog-inspired pizza, which tops a sauce base of yellow-mustard béchamel with mozzarella, provolone, sliced hot dogs, fried onions and cornichons. This season, he's also planning on offering a Japanese hot dog, plus a rotation of glizzy specials themed to whatever the visiting team's regional hot dog might be. (This weekend, La Sorted's ran Coney chili dogs in a nod to the Detroit Tigers.) A hot dog 'is a part of the baseball experience, you know?' Brockert said. 'I think that it kind of made sense, being the brand that we are.' The restaurant serves a Vienna all-beef frank, as opposed to Papa Cantella's, which is traditionally all pork. La Sorted's slides its dogs into potato buns, and splits the franks down the middle for extra char. Brockert's preferred toppings — called 'Tommy's Way' at the Chinatown pizzeria — are equal slicks of Dijonnaise and Philippe's hot mustard. Dodger Stadium proudly squirts Morehouse mustard and basic ketchup from its condiment dispensers, but at your own grill you can be the flavor MVP and mix it up like Brockert. Here are a few ways to spruce up hot dogs for home(-viewed) games. Eating out this week? Sign up for Tasting Notes to get our restaurant experts' insights and off-the-cuff takes on where they're dining right now. When feeding a crowd, it doesn't get more festive — or L.A.-appropriate — than re-creating one of the city's street-vendor icons: the roving hot dog cart, with its scent of bacon, hot dogs, jalapeños and onions thick in the air. Former L.A. Times Test Kitchen director Noelle Carter crafted her own makeshift version for home parties, and you can too. 'Bacon-wrapped hot dogs,' Carter wrote, 'They're the unofficial street food of Los Angeles. It's all but impossible to escape their seductive aroma after a sporting event, concert or night on the town.'Get the method. This recipe can be made by hand, mixer or bread machine, and leans on optional ingredients like malt powder and sesame seeds to customize the hot dog bun of your nostalgia. Here, cookbook author and recipe contributor Marcy Goldman shares her bun how-to (and a few memories of coaching her sons' baseball team) with the L.A. the time: 2½ hours. Makes about 10 buns. Australian chef Curtis Stone whips up his own 'tomato sauce,' or ketchup, for sausage rolls, but this condiment is versatile and delicious on just about anything that calls for a dip or spread (I've even used it atop meatloaf). Certainly there are Heinz purists, and if ever a cause called for the bottled stuff, it's a traditional hot dog, but if you're looking to take your dogs to new gastro heights, opt for Stone's take. It's got sweet, roasty notes from caramelizing onions with tomato paste and depth from chipotle, which all find balance thanks to the subtle bite of apple cider the time: 1 hour plus chilling time. Makes about 1½ cups. A simple yellow mustard does the trick for most dogs, but sausages — and any grilled meats, truly — are often bettered by the tang of a sharper mustard. Carter, our former Test Kitchen director, crafted a recipe for a mustard that uses hard cider, apple cider vinegar and fresh apples for a fruitier edge, but one that still packs a punch. If you're making this recipe, be sure to let the mustard sit a few days before use, as it takes time for the flavors to mellow and coalesce. 'Once you've perfected it, you'll want to make a larger batch to share,' Carter writes. 'Homemade mustard makes a great gift. And no one has to know how easy it was to make.'Get the time: 15 minutes plus chilling time. Makes about 1⅔ cups. Fluffy-battered and fried to a golden crisp, corn dogs are nearly as iconic as their more straightforward glizzy brethren. Get Goldman's recipe here, which calls for a few simple ingredients and comes together quickly. Just don't forget the wooden the time: 35 minutes. Makes 10 corn dogs.
Japan Times
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
In pictures: Tokyo's weeklong celebration of baseball's best
Shohei Ohtani was here, there and everywhere over the past week as his Los Angeles Dodgers descended upon Tokyo for a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs to kick off the MLB season. The Tokyo Series, which also included exhibition games against the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers, also saw the brief return to Japanese shores of Dodgers pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and pitcher Shota Imanaga in what amounted to a weeklong celebration of Japan's place in the world of baseball. And it wasn't just baseball stars who took the spotlight: Yoshiki performed the Japanese and U.S. national anthems on Tuesday while former sumo wrestler Konishiki threw a ceremonial pitch. Oh, and Pikachus were there, too. Below is a selection of some of our best photos from the past week of baseball. Tokyo Dome was the site for an electric opening to the MLB season, with a series of games that also featured rare contests between MLB and NPB clubs. | Joshua Mellin A poster featuring Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki at a fan festival at Tokyo Skytree | Daniel Traylor Shohei Ohtani shares a laugh with lucky children ahead of a game against the Giants on Saturday. | Joshua Mellin Teruaki Sato celebrates after his three-run home run against the Dodgers on Sunday. | Joshua Mellin Cubs infielder Justin Turner poses with a young fan dressed as him prior to a game on Sunday. | Joshua Mellin Cheerleaders and mascots for the Tigers and Giants pose for a photo on the Tokyo Dome turf. | Joshua Mellin Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after he hit a home run against the Giants on Saturday. | Joshua Mellin A fan sports a Dodgers-themed kimono outside Tokyo Dome on Tuesday. | Joshua Mellin Ohtani smacks a home run during an exhibition game against the Giants on Saturday. | Joshua Mellin The Tigers and Cubs mascots get playful ahead of an exhibition game between the two clubs on Saturday. | Joshua Mellin Clark the Cub waves the W "win" flag after the Cubs defeated the Giants on Sunday. | Joshua Mellin Tigers fans gave the club's exhibition games against the Dodgers and Cubs a Japanese feel with their trademark chants and songs. | Joshua Mellin Pikachu helped bring in the new MLB season on Tuesday with a pregame ceremony fit for Japan. | Joshua Mellin Tigers players with Cubs hats after Hanshin's win over Chicago on Saturday. | Joshua Mellin Tiger slugger Teruaki Sato launches a three-run homer against the Dodgers on Sunday in a game that Hanshin won 3-0. | Joshua Mellin Former sumo wrestler Konishiki throws a ceremonial pitch ahead of the opening game of the MLB season on Tuesday in Tokyo. | Joshua Mellin Look-a-likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga outside Tokyo Dome prior to the first game of the MLB season on Tuesday | Joshua Mellin Yoshiki performs the national anthems of Japan and the U.S. prior to the Dodgers-Cubs game on Tuesday. | Joshua Mellin Cubs fans Jack White and Bill Murray turned up to support their team on Tuesday. | Joshua Mellin Shota Imanaga pitched four scoreless innings in the MLB season opener on Tuesday but it wasn't enough to secure a win for the Cubs. | Joshua Mellin Ohtani tips his batting helmet prior to an at-bat on Tuesday. | Joshua Mellin Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki plays with his son on the turf at Tokyo Dome. | Joshua Mellin Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches during the Dodgers' season-opening win over the Cubs on Tuesday. | Joshua Mellin A fan watches the game between the Dodgers and Cubs at a fan festival at Tokyo Skytree on Tuesday. | Daniel Traylor The Dodgers' trio of Japanese talent — Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki — at the final game of the Tokyo Series on Wednesday | Joshua Mellin Japanese baseball mascots prime the audience ahead of the second game between the Cubs and Dodgers on Wednesday. | Joshua Mellin In his highly anticipated MLB debut on Wednesday, Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki impressed with his fastball but struggled to find the strike zone. | Joshua Mellin Shota Imanaga ahead of the second game of the series between the Cubs and Dodgers. | Joshua Mellin Cubs infielder Matt Shaw takes the low road to get home in Game 2 on Wednesday. | Joshua Mellin All eyes were on Shohei Ohtani throughout the past week as the Japanese superstar put on a show for fans in his home country. | Joshua Mellin
