Oscar Rethwil, one of our school’s counselors, grew up in southern California alongside four other siblings. All five of them grew up as Los Angeles Dodgers fans. Ever since Rethwill was little, he dreamed of going to see the Dodgers play the Yankees in the World Series. In 2024, the Dodgers were well on their way to the World Series. When Rethwill was waiting to see if the Dodgers would make it, he heard that the Yankees would be going to the World Series. When he found out that the Dodgers made it, he called his older brother saying that they needed to go. It’s been 40 years since the two teams played each other in the World Series, so Rethwill knew that it may never happen again in his lifetime.
Two years ago, one of Rethwill’s other brothers, Auggie, passed away due to an unexpected heart attack. Rethwill said, “Out of all of him and his siblings, Auggie was the biggest Dodgers fan.” Rethwill and his brother knew that they had to go to this World Series game not only because it could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but also because it was a way for him and his brother to honor Auggie’s memory. Throughout the game, Rethwill knew that Auggie would have loved to be there.
On October 25, 2024, the day of the first World Series game, Rethwill and his brother flew from Eugene to Los Angeles. Before taking off, they had checked how the game was going and at that time the Yankees were in the lead, but while they were in the air the Dodgers took the lead and ended up winning the first game with a walk-off grand slam. On October 26, Rethwill and his brother got to the Dodger Stadium about an hour and a half early where they got the Dodger dog and swag. Before the game started, they handed out towels that you later spin around to cheer your team on. Rethwill was also able to buy a $15 program that you can’t get anywhere else except by being there. Both of these things are displayed on his office wall. After a while, they ran out of towels and people ended up trading the programs they bought for the towel.
The Dodgers ended up winning the game and everyone was cheering and hugging each other. Even though they had never met before, at that point you knew everyone, you were related to everyone because you were all cheering for the same team. Rethwill said, “It was awesome to be surrounded by total strangers but all cheering for the same team.” He and his brother had gone to see the second game but the World Series continued for three more games. The Dodgers won the first three games, lost the fourth, and then won the fifth game, therefore winning the World Series.
