The stakes for the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees now include an unexpected wager by the two senior Catholic prelates for the opposing sides.
Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez and New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced the spirited wager on the morning of 25 October, just hours before Game 1 at the Dodger Stadium baseball park in Los Angeles, reportsAngelus, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
The wager, announced along with a snazzy YouTube short, means that if the Dodgers win the World Series, Cardinal Dolan must send Archbishop Gomez a box of New York-style bagels. If the Yankees win, Archbishop Gomez must send Cardinal Dolan a box of donuts from the LA institution of Randy’s Donuts.
At the same time, as the World Series potentially plays out across seven games, both prelates will be encouraging their respective followers to bolster the wager by making donations to baseballunites.com, a site that will direct funds to both the New York-based John Cardinal O’Connor School and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Catholic Education Foundation – though the outcome of the series will influence how the donations get split.
Whichever team wins the World Series will earn their related educational institution 60 per cent of what’s raised; the losing side’s related educational institution will get 40 per cent.
“This is going to be a great World Series,” says Archbishop Gomez. “Baseball truly unites us as a country, but in every contest there has to be a winner, and that will be the Dodgers! I know my friend Cardinal Dolan is a good sport, and I’m going to enjoy the New York bagels that he will be sending me.
“I’m also grateful for this chance to highlight the great work of our Catholic schools in LA and New York and across the country. I have already made my donation, and I encourage everyone to enjoy the Series and support the great mission of Catholic education. Go Blue!”
For the opposing side, Cardinal Dolan issued the following words:
“I’m grateful to my brother Archbishop Gomez for agreeing to this friendly wager. I’m looking forward to three things: 1. A great World Series with the Yankees winning their 28th Championship; 2. Enjoying Randy’s Donuts; 3. Raising awareness of and support for the John Cardinal O’Connor School and the Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles.”
The John Cardinal O’Connor School in New York provides a Christ-centred, language-based curriculum for students in grades 2-8 (ages 7/8 to 13/14 years old) who have learning disabilities, speech impairments or learning differences, reports Angelus. The Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles provides tuition assistance to needy students attending Catholic schools in the LA archdiocese.
Archbishop Gomez made a similar wager in 2022 when the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
The Dodgers and Yankees have previously encountered each other in the World Series 11 times, with the Yankees winning eight of them. The teams have not battled in the World Series since 1981.
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 6-3 in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series. They then secured a 4-2 Game 2 victory to go 2-0 up in the series. Game 3 occurs tonight, 28 October, at 8 p.m. ET.
To win the World Series, and secure those bagels or donuts for their respective prelate, a team must win four games out of the seven.
Photo: Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs to first base against Anthony Rizzo #48 of the New York Yankees during Game Two of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, 26 October 2024. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images.)
