Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured right, and Dodger alum Eric Karros, pictured left, visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Pictured center is Chef Paul Pszybylski who gave the class. (photo by Michael Hixon)
The boys in blue have been hitting the streets of Los Angeles County this week.
Dodger greats, and current players, coaches and staffers — as well as employees of team partner Bank of America — have visited every quadrant of the county over the past several days as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week, dubbed the “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” The tour, which began Monday and ends Friday, is a sort of prelude to FanFest at Dodger Stadium, which is set for Saturday, Feb. 4
In all, the Dodgers will have volunteered at 10 spots throughout the county by the tour’s end.
On Tuesday, all-star first baseman Freddie Freeman helped deliver food to Long Beach families in need. On Thursday, manager Dave Roberts and former player Eric Karros took a cooking class in Manhattan Beach, while utiltyman Chris Taylor toured Discovery Cube Los Angeles, in Sylmar, with Los Angeles elementary students. Pitchers Tony Gonsolin, Evan Phillips, and Alex Vesia, meanwhile, helped local children shop for shoes at a WSS, on La Tijera Boulevard.
And on Friday, multiple Dodgers are set to host a pep rally at Whittier High School to celebrate the start of the spring semester.
“I look forward to it every year,” Roberts said about the annual tour, “because it gives us a chance to get out there and interact with, whether it’s businesses, just people in general and Dodger fans.”
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured right, and Dodger alum Eric Karros visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured, and Dodger alum Eric Karros visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts and Dodger alum Eric Karros, pictured left, visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Chef Paul Pszybylski is pictured right. (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured right, and Dodger alum Eric Karros, pictured left, visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Chef Paul Pszybylski is pictured center. (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured, and Dodger alum Eric Karros visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured right, and Dodger alum Eric Karros visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Chef Paul Pszybylski is pictured left. (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured left, and Dodger alum Eric Karros pictured right, visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Pictured with them are Ashley Ceraolo, senior vice president of marketing with CPK, and Chef Paul Pszybylski. (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured rght, and Dodger alum Eric Karros visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Chef Paul Pszybylski is pictured left. (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured, and Dodger alum Eric Karros visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts, pictured right, and Dodger alum Eric Karros, pictured left, visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Pictured center is Chef Paul Pszybylski who gave the class. (photo by Michael Hixon)
Dodger Manager Dave Roberts and Dodger alum Eric Karros, pictured right, visited the California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Feb. 2 to take a cooking class as part of the organization’s 19th annual community service week “Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.” Chef Paul Pszybylski is pictured left (photo by Michael Hixon)
LAUSD elementary students attend Dodger day at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar on Thursday, February 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dodger Chris Taylor and his wife Mary visit with Lady, a Pasadena Humane pitbull mix shelter dog, during Dodger Day with LAUSD elementary students at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar on Thursday, February 2, 2023. Pasadena Humane is at the museum for large groups teaching about caring for animals during the Paw Patrol exhibit which runs through May 14th. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dodger Chris Taylor and his wife Mary check out a tornado exhibit at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar during Dodger day with LAUSD elementary students on Thursday, February 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dodger Chris Taylor and his wife Mary pose for pictures during Dodger Day with LAUSD elementary students at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar on Thursday, February 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Science demonstrator Wesley Carrera shows balanced and unbalanced force with LAUSD fifth grader Jacob Morales during Dodger day at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar on Thursday, February 2, 2023. Science demonstrators Humberto Maldonado and Rodrigo Martinez were also teaching the students. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dodger Chris Taylor and his wife Mary check out a tornado exhibit at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar during Dodger day with LAUSD elementary students on Thursday, February 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Dodger Chris Taylor and his wife Mary shop in the Eco Market with LAUSD elementary students during Dodger Day at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar on Thursday, February 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Robert Medano, 11, a 5th grader from Telfair Elementary, takes pictures at Discovery Cube Los Angeles in Sylmar during Dodger day with LAUSD elementary students on Thursday, February 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Roberts and Karros visited a California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach on Thursday morning to take part in a cooking class with chef Paul Pszybylski.
Pszybylski taught Roberts and Karros, as well as adults from Alexandria Hous — a nonprofit that helps women and children move from emergency shelters to permanent housing — make their own pizzas.
Karros, a Manhattan Beach resident, is the L.A. Dodgers’ all-time home run leader and was National League Rookie of the Year in 1992. (Karros has the third-most home runs in franchise history, behind Duke Snider and Gil Hodges, both of whom played the majority of their careers when the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn.)
Currently, Karros is a Dodgers broadcaster on Spectrum SportsNet LA .
“The Dodgers and the fans have had a special relationship since they came out to L.A.,” Karros said, “and this, it’s something (where) you interact with the community.”
The Dodgers first season in Los Angeles was 1958.
“This, for me is great,” Karros added. “I’m a South Bay guy. I’ve been here since 1991 and I’ve actually come to this location for many years.”
In Sylmar, meanwhile, joined joined Los Angeles Unified School District students on a field trip to the Discovery Cube museum, where they learned about health and nutrition, as well as meteorology and environmental sustainability.
As for Gonsolin, Phillips and Vesia, they acted as personal shoe salesmen for about 100 children at WSS’s La Tijera location — fitting the kids for new kicks. The team will also donate 100 shoes to CASA of Los Angeles, a local foster youth organization operating in Monterey Park.
“The Dodgers are committed to bringing the spirit of the team to all of Los Angeles,” an MLB press release said, “and as such, this tour will be a tribute to the cultural fabric of the city.”
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