Fan “Loses Head” over Dodger Homerun Most Americans are anxious at home, only leaving for essential trips. Little did we know the most treacherous place to be right now is at a Major League Baseball stadium. Just ask Dodger fan Austin Donley. Donley’s cutout lost its head with the full force of Will Smith’s solo home run during the July 25 matchup against the Giants. After the incident went viral on Twitter, the superfan earned the ball as a souvenir and a personal apology from Smith. “It was important for us to figure out how to recreate the fan experience at home,” said John Chapper, Dodgers Assistant Director of Public Relations. “Our main focus was to engage with fans to get them excited for the season even though they’re unable to join us at Dodger Stadium.” Dodger Stadium cutouts are available for purchase online through the Dodgers official MLB website. All net proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and its fight to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. Dodgers fans can also order their favorite stadium snacks through Postmates to be delivered to their home on game day. The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, the team relocated to Los Angeles before the 1958 season. They played four seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before moving to Dodger Stadium in 1962. The Dodgers have won six World Series championships and twenty three National League pennants. ### Play Ball! MLB Battles Brutal Opponent: COVID-19 You may have seen the curveball thrown at professional baseball this season: that is, playing during a global pandemic. From fan cutouts to reproduced crowd noises, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams are reinventing the phrase “take me out to the ball game.” After the MLB finalized plans to resume the season, teams devised clever ways to engage viewers from afar. The Los Angeles Dodgers invited enthusiasts to purchase a cutout for themselves – or their furry friends – to sit in Dodger Stadium, with proceeds benefiting the Dodgers Foundation. Likewise, the Arizona Diamondbacks recreated the ambiance during their home opener by inviting fans to participate in the seventh-inning stretch via Zoom. “Every team struggled with how to engage fans,” said Juan Dorado, Dodgers Public Relations Director. “We’ve been amazed at the response from viewers and on social media and are proud of each of these tactics.” One fan experience went viral on Twitter. Dodgers catcher Will Smith hit a solo homerun in the July 25 game against the Giants, striking a cutout and taking off its head. After Dodger’s enthusiast Austin Donley tweeted about the incident, asking Smith for the ball that hit his cutout, the tweet was retweeted nearly 2,000 times and garnered 18,000 likes. Smith responded with an apology and a promise to secure the ball for Donley. Interactions like this can go a long way until fans are “going, going, gone!” back to Dodgers Stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, the team relocated to Los Angeles before the 1958 season. They played four seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before moving to Dodger Stadium in 1962. The Dodgers have won six World Series championships and twenty-three National League pennants. ###.