The first Shohei Ohtani bobblehead giveaway of the season stirred a traffic jam of eager fans outside Dodger Stadium on Thursday.
According to Yahoo!Sports, a horde of Dodgers fans showed up at the stadium hours before the game against the Cincinnati Reds to ensure that they would receive one of the 40,000 bobbleheads given out at the gates. On top of that, there was a chance of getting one of the 1,700 special gray uniform bobbleheads available at random.
This special opportunity attracted a sellout crowd of 53,527, the largest in the majors this season and the most at Dodger Stadium since Sept. 20, 2019, reported ESPN.
The bobblehead shows Ohtani with his bat held above his left shoulder and the box’s design features Japanese anime.
“Shohei creates a stir,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game, according to ESPN. “I can’t imagine what it’s like outside. It’s great for Shohei and it’s good for the Dodgers.”
TMZ reported that the bobblehead has already made its way onto reseller sites with spectators hoping to cash in on their luck. On eBay, the item is reaching as high as $1,500.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers fans, the home team suffered a 7-2 blowout loss to Cincinnati, including Ohtani going 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout in the contest.
According to ESPN, the Dodgers have three more Ohtani giveaways scheduled for this season, with plans to offer a hat, a second bobblehead, and a shirt.
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