Batter Up! Why This World Series Is More Interesting Than Most
Diamond jewelry, a few firsts and free tacos.
The World Series starts tonight and let’s be honest with the amount of COVID outbreaks in a shortened 60-game season, we weren’t sure we’d ever get here but we made it.
Now sit back, relax and enjoy,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. The Tampa Bay Rays are the underdogs in this series but not by much as both teams were the best in their league coming into the playoffs. Interestingly enough the Rays entered into the postseason with the third lowest payroll in the league. The cost of the prorated salaries for their entire team is $28.3 million, while the prorated salaries for only four of the Dodgers’ biggest players are $32.3 million total. WORTH IT?
2. The Rays are just one of five teams in the league to never win the World Series and the franchise itself has only been to the World Series one other time in 2008. Even though the Dodgers are playing in their third World Series in four years, they haven’t won it all since 1988. OVERDUE
3. There will be around 11,000 fans at the games. The Dodgers had fans during the League Championship Series in Rangers Stadium in Arlington, TX (home to the World Series) but this will be the first time the Rays have played in front of fans for the entire season. (They played their postseason games in Southern California, not Texas). BUT WILL THEY DO THE WAVE?
4. Los Angeles and Tampa Bay have been hotbeds for COVID-era championships with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA (National Basketball Association) Championship and the Tampa Bay Lightning winning the NHL (National Hockey League) Championship. This is the first time we’ve seen this happen with the two league champions battling it out for a World Series title. FIGHTING OVER THE KEYS TO THE CITY
5. While the teams are playing for the coveted World Series ring, that’s not the jewelry that will be stirring up the conversation in the broadcast booth. The trend of players wearing big chains as part of their unis is something that has social media and the broadcast buzzing. Keep an eye on the blinged out Mookie Betts (Dodgers) and Randy Arozarena (Rays) sporting this fashion trend. (If you want to see why diamonds on the diamond are a bad idea, check out this video of Yoenis Céspedes’ chain break while he was sliding into second that became a scavenger hunt for gems on the infield). HARDBALL HEIST
Honorable mention - The “steal a base, get a taco” promotion is back. If a player successfully steals a base during the series, fans across the country will get a free taco from Taco Bell. And in last night’s Game One, Mookie Betts made that a reality with a stolen base. Finally, something we can all agree on. FREE FOOD
5 Things You Need To Know About The Fastest Weekend Of The Year
Blink and you’ll miss it.
Hold onto your hats because we’re about to set the world on fire with the Circuit of the Americas Formula One race and the New York City Marathon both on the same day.
Where the rubber hits the road,
The Last Night’s Game Team
1. The first New York City Marathon took place in 1970 with 55 runners. Last year more than 100,000 runners applied to run in the race with only 15% accepted. That acceptance rate is lower than most elite colleges. This year if you’re a Michelob Ultra fan and can prove you’re environmentally friendly, you might qualify for one of the 95 entries that the beer is handing out. Or if you’re a celebrity, you’re in. POUNDING THE PAVEMENT FOR MOTHER EARTH
2. Women were barred from road races for a decade but in the Marathon’s third year, six women took their rightful places in the race. The AAU, the then-governing body of marathons, had previously squashed the idea of women running in marathons. It was considered a health risk for women to run distances as their uterus might fall out along with a host of other medical disasters. LADIES TAKE YOUR PLACE AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE
3. The F1 (Formula One) race takes place in Austin on Sunday . It’s the only F1 race in the U.S. and is known as the “Circuit of the Americas.” And if going fast doesn’t do it for you, each night of racing is followed by a concert. This year’s shows feature P!NK and Imagine Dragons. ROCK ON
4. F1 has always been a global sport with a massive international following, but expect to see more about F1 in the states because U.S. based Liberty Media is now the main stakeholder, buying in at a mere $4.4 billion. There have been talks about expanding the races to other U.S. cities outside of Austin including Las Vegas and Miami. COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU
5. Last season’s overall winner, Lewis Hamilton is looking to win his sixth championship in Austin. He’s the sport’s most recognizable current driver and is known for his time behind the wheel, big diamond earrings, his famous ex-girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Dolls) and his Instagram famous bulldogs, Roscoe and Coco, that are raking in the international followers. BULLDOGS THAT DRIVE FAST? YES PLEASE.
Scary Good
It’s been a rough week for the Astros, a once-in-a-lifetime engagement and the cutest (and furriest) member of an NFL team.
May your weekend be filled with goblins, ghouls and great conversation.
A cocktail wouldn’t hurt either,
The Last Night’s Game Team
MLB (Major League Baseball)
The World Series heads to Washington, D.C. tonight and the home team, the Washington Nationals, are up 2-0 in the seven game series against the heavily favored Houston Astros. It’s been a rough week for the Astros between their losses on the field and yesterday they fired their assistant general manager for his locker room tirade toward female reporters. On a brighter note, the Nationals Juan Soto will be celebrating his 21st birthday today by playing in the World Series. BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER?
Overtime
You might remember the story about how a few lucky people would have the chance to stay in the famed Goodyear blimp for a night. The Airbnb promotion celebrating the 150th year of college football gave one couple another reason to celebrate because they got engaged while staying in the blimp. PRETTY SURE YOU CAN’T TOP THAT
Sideline stat
Being the tallest man in the NBA (National Basketball Association) has its perks but everyday life isn’t always easy. The Boston Celtics big man Tacko Fall, who stands at 7-foot-5, is in concussion protocol (i.e. is under the care of doctors and not playing) because he hit his head on a low ceiling while washing his hands. This isn’t the first time he’s injured himself in an everyday situation. He once gave himself a concussion from walking into a door frame. HEADS UP
Coaches’ corner
The San Francisco 49ers are undefeated this season and surely it’s no coincidence that they have the NFL’s (National Football League) first emotional support dog. The team adopted Zoë the French Bulldog last season and she is there to help the players with stress, depression and anxiety. She even documents the perks of her job on her own Instagram account. REAL MEN LOVE TINY DOGS
What to watch
The White House shared that President Trump will attend game five of the World Series in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. The president, who will attend but not throw out the first pitch, better cheer for the Astros to win at least one game, otherwise there will be no game five if the Nationals keep up their winning streak. PLAY BALL