LA — Los Angeles. A total of $450,000 has been donated by professional sports teams in Los Angeles to aid victims of the recent wildfires in Hawaii. Los Angeles professional sports teams have banded together to aid the American Red Cross’s relief efforts for those in need. This includes the Angels, Angel City Football Club, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Anaheim Ducks, LA Galaxy, LAFC, the Kings, the Lakers, the Rams, and the Sparks.

Despite being over 2,000 miles apart, California and Hawaii have strong ties due to the large Hawaiian diaspora in Southern California. That connection has been strengthened in large part by the Los Angeles sports teams. Over the course of 25 years, the Lakers have held training camps in Hawaii, playing many preseason games in Honolulu and even holding a Showtime reunion on Maui in 2022. In 2019, the Rams’ preseason schedule included a game in Hawaii. The Waipahu Baseball and Softball Academy was established by the Dodgers in 2022. The Chargers’ preseason schedule has included repeated trips to Hawaii, beginning in 1961 and continuing through 1976. The Los Angeles Galaxy hosted a preseason training camp in Hawaii and participated in the Pan-Pacific Championship in 2008. This was during the club’s 2005 MLS Cup championship season. Many future major leaguers got their start with the Angels’ Triple-A team in Honolulu, including Angels Hall of Famer Bobby Knoop.

Visit www.redcross.org for information on how fans can help the American Red Cross with their Hawaii Fire Relief efforts.