The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2020 World Series with a 3-1 victory in Game 6 Tuesday night, ending a shortened, often bizarre 2020 Major League Baseball season. Ultimately, the best team won. The Dodgers were largely viewed as a favorite with the most talented roster and finished the regular season with MLB’s top record.
Los Angeles ended a 32-year World Series title drought, finally following through on championship ambitions after losing two of the previous three Fall Classics (in 2017 and 2018). So a lot of history — and relief — would go into calling that final out of a World Series victory.
That was exemplified by Charley Steiner’s call on the Dodgers’ flagship station, AM 570 LA Sports. The former ESPN anchor has been the radio voice of Dodgers baseball for the past 16 seasons. He called this season remotely from his home due to his age and health being high-risk factors for COVID-19.
In a year where joy has been hard to come by, tonight.. tears of joy!
Celebrate with us right now here on @am570lasports!!
Listen: https://t.co/psbw6Y3ECn pic.twitter.com/K22XaXEz48
— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) October 28, 2020
“In a year like no other, when joy has been so hard to come by,” Steiner said as the Dodgers gathered at the pitching mound to celebrate. “Tonight, tears of joy, let ’em flow!”
The Dodgers’ Spanish radio flagship station is KTNQ 1020 AM and Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín made the call on Julio Urias’s game-ending strikeout of Willy Adames.
Jaime Jarrín calls the final out of the 2020 #WorldSeries for the #Dodgers on @KTNQ1020.#SerieMundial @LosDodgers pic.twitter.com/QtBjwJhMUT
— Steve Granado (@SteveGranado) October 28, 2020
ESPN Radio had the national broadcast with Dan Shulman calling play-by-play with analysts Chris Singleton and Jessica Mendoza. Here’s how Shulman’s call sounded:
For the first time in 32 years, the #LADodgers are #WorldSeries Champions !!@DShulman_ESPN, @Singytweets, @jessmendoza, & @Buster_ESPN on the call. Thanks for listening to @MLBonESPNRadio all season.
🔊🔊Continued coverage on ESPN Radio & the @ESPN App… pic.twitter.com/GTh1WC6bD4
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) October 28, 2020
If you want some TV calls mixed in, here is the final out on Spanish-language Fox Deportes from Adrian Garcia Marquez:
JULIO URÍAS con el OUT de la victoria para @LosDodgers #MLBenFD #SerieMundial @LasMayores @AdrianGarciaMqz @RolandoNichols @carlitosalvarez pic.twitter.com/22sQo6rARK
— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) October 28, 2020
And, of course, Joe Buck’s call for Fox:
Go crazy, @Dodgers fans!
Your team just won the #WorldSeries! pic.twitter.com/OlodBtXMOE
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 28, 2020
“Strike three,” called Buck as Adames took a fastball on the inside corner. “Dodgers have won it all in 2020!”
UPDATE: Let’s add Matt Vasgersian’s call for MLB International to the mix. (Thanks to @bbbbb100 for posting this in the comments.)
https://youtu.be/1ld0JLR5Df4
Exhale on an anxiety-filled 2020 season that looked doubtful to be played from March to July and even once games started being played, due to outbreaks on the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Dodgers strictly followed COVID-19 protocols, not wanting to jeopardize their chances of winning a World Series. That makes the news of Justin Turner’s positive test, which was revealed after the final out, and him celebrating with teammates while possibly being contagious a troubling footnote to an otherwise special moment for the Dodgers organization.
