The Texas Rangers just wanted to swim in a pool on Wednesday night.
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World Series celebrations have become almost as fun to watch as the games themselves. From the first pig pile following the Mets' 1986 victory over the Red Sox to the champagne-soaked clubhouse celebrations of today, the tradition knows almost no bounds.
After the final out of game 5 gave the Texas Rangers their first World Series championship, the players did their usual celebratory hugs on the field with family, friends and each other. They then set their sights on taking a dip in the pool at Chase Field. Ballpark security, however, had other ideas.
The pool, which has been a popular spot for fans to watch games since the venue opened in 1998, is located behind the right-center field wall. While the Rangers were busy celebrating on the field after the final out of their 5-0 victory over the Diamondbacks, a small group of fans were gathered on the pool's deck. That might have been their best chance.
Once the crowd was cleared out, about a dozen security guards began lining the area near the pool, spaced from 20 to 30 feet apart.
Pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who picked up the Series-clinching win, noticed the security presence while being interviewed on Fox.
"Are they going over there?" Eovaldi asked before adding, "No, I don't think they are."
The Diamondbacks made use of the pool twice this postseason. Their first splash party came after they clinched a playoff berth, with the other following their win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. Ironically, security blocked the DBacks from their own pool after clinching a playoff berth in 2017.
Speaking of the Dodgers, they set off a wave of controversy when one of their players peed in the pool after beating Arizona in 2013.
During this season's NLDS, Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall said there would be no protocol preventing teams from jumping in the pool.
"They have the right to celebrate however they want, wherever they want," Hall said, referring to the Dodgers potentially celebrating if they had won the NLDS. "They've certainly earned that opportunity."
Clearly, that was not the case Wednesday night, but it was about the only blemish the Rangers got. Their first World Series trophy should more than make up for any celebration mishaps.
