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4th of July, America, baseball, Dodger Stadium, fireworks, Independence Day, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Galaxy, Major League Baseball, Orange County, Rose Bowl, softball, Southern California sports, United States
One of SoCal’s biggest 4th of July fireworks displays if not the biggest: The annual show at the Rose Bowl. Photo courtesy of ci.pasadena.ca.us
I was doing some research as to anything huge and historic that happened on the anniversary of our country’s birth with regards to sports in the Los Angeles area.
Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything of real note as there were no speeches from dying SoCal baseball superstars in front of capacity crowds.
Unlike Dave Righetti of the New York Yankees against their hated rival Boston Red Sox, no Dodger or Angel ever threw a no-hitter on that day.
Nor are there any national hot dog eating contests like the one on Coney Island in Brooklyn.
But…
There are lots fireworks displays as if there’s a game at any of L.A.’s sporting venues on the 4th, fireworks will be going off afterwards.
One particularly notable fireworks display show is at a place where no game is held beforehand – the Rose Bowl, which always puts on a spectacular show with this year promising to be no exception.
As for how SoCal’s teams will be spending Independence Day – those who are in season – here’s the schedule of who the Dodgers, Angels, and Galaxy will be playing and where they will be:
* ANGELS: at Rays in Tampa Bay, 10:10 am.
Just their luck…
Here these Halos are, in last place in the American League West, getting beat with their pitchers getting lit up more often than not, and the schedule makers have them spending their 4th of July at the only place in Major League Baseball where an outdoor fireworks display is impossible: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.
It’s been that kind of year for those Angels.
A recent 4th of July fireworks show at Dodger Stadium. Photo courtesy of pinterest.com
* DODGERS: vs Orioles at Dodger Stadium, 6:10 p.m.
Unlike their Orange County counterparts, the Dodgers will be celebrating our country’s 240th birthday in their Dodger Stadium home, complete with a fireworks display that’s always quite popular with their fans.
The fact that they will be playing a team representing the town where the words to our national anthem was written is a nice touch.
* GALAXY: vs Vancouver at StubHub Center, 7:30 p.m.
It may not be the traditional America’s sport on America’s birthday, but the Galaxy always puts on a good fireworks show on the 4th of July after their match.
Actually, I rather like that the most popular sport on Earth gives homage to this country on its anniversary of declaring independence from the country that invented the game, a place where soccer is regarded like baseball and especially football on these shores; that’s pretty cool.
Of course, there will be plenty of fireworks displays throughout the Southland for folks to enjoy.
I’ll certainly be enjoying myself as I’ll hopefully be playing pick-up softball in the morning – what’s the 4th of July without a ball game – then enjoying chicken burgers (I pretty much gave up red meat ) and other summer picnic-type foods afterwards, with a dose of my local fireworks display that night.
Just like the other 300 million-plus residents of these United States.
I know it should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway…
SoCal Sports Annals wishes everyone a Happy and Safe Fourth of July!
Photo courtesy of creatiwittyblog.com