How Mary Hart became Los Angeles Dodgers superfan, went viral in 2018

The Los Angeles Dodgers have countless celebrity fans. But Mary Hart stands above them all.

The former "Entertainment Tonight" host has been a longtime fan and season ticket holder of the Dodgers. This season, the defending champions marched into the National League Championship Series.

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The Milwaukee Brewers have had Front Row Amy in the, well, front row of their historic season. They are up 2-0 on the Dodgers in the series and, if they oust Los Angeles, will reach only their second World Series in franchise history.

Shohei Ohtani has been struggling this postseason and starts Wednesday's game at a career-low sixth in the batting order. His teammate Mookie Betts said he can relate to having a slump, especially after breaking his hand in 2024.

Betts was on the other side of the diamond when Hart went viral in the 2018 World Series for cheering on her team against the Boston Red Sox. Now, Betts and the Dodgers attempt a comeback in a bid to reach, and win, their third consecutive World Series.

Why did Mary Hart go viral during Dodgers' 2018 World Series?

Mary Hart cheered on the Dodgers throughout the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, even attending the first two games with her husband, Burt Sugarman, at Fenway Park.

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During the historic 18-inning Game 3 in Los Angeles, she did her best to throw off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. She stood in the crowd to the side of home plate late in the matchup and imitated the closer's unique pitching stance where he leaned over at a 90-degree angle with his arm at his side. While wearing her signature bright blue vintage Dodgers sweater, she bobbed up and down, catching the attention of the internet and of fans watching.

"I noticed how peculiar it was, just mechanically. How does he get his arms around and everything?" Hart told MLB.com ahead of Game 4. "It was just kind of spontaneous – I'm going to get up there and do what he's doing. ...

"There was a little bit of, 'Maybe I can throw him off a little.' He's a hell of a pitcher."

Why did Mary Hart become a Dodgers fan?

Mary Hart moved to Los Angeles in 1979, she told MLB.com. Soon after, she was a bat girl for the Hollywood Stars minor league game at Dodger Stadium and met Tommy Lasorda. She told him of her dream to sing the National Anthem at a Dodgers game and he made it happen. She's had a fierce loyalty to the team ever since.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Mary Hart became Los Angeles Dodgers superfan, went viral in 2018