Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who impressed “Fernandomania” whereas successful the NL Cy Younger Award and Rookie of the 12 months in 1981, has died. He was 63.
The crew stated he died Tuesday evening at a Los Angeles hospital, however didn’t present the trigger or different particulars.
His demise comes because the Dodgers put together to open the World Collection on Friday evening at dwelling in opposition to the New York Yankees. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred stated Valenzuela could be honored through the sequence at Dodger Stadium.
Valenzuela had left his color commentator job on the Dodgers’ Spanish-language tv broadcast in September with out rationalization. He was reported to have been hospitalized earlier this month. His job saved him as a daily at Dodger Stadium, the place he held court docket within the press field eating room earlier than video games and remained widespread with followers who sought him out for pictures and autographs.
“God bless Fernando Valenzuela!” actor and Dodgers fan Danny Trejo posted on X.
Valenzuela was one of the dominant gamers of his period and a wildly widespread determine within the Eighties, though he was by no means elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame. Nonetheless, he’s a part of Cooperstown, which options a number of artifacts together with a signed ball from his no-hitter in 1990.
“He is among the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes,” Stan Kasten, crew president and CEO, stated in a press release. “He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained near our hearts ever since, not solely as a participant but in addition as a broadcaster. He has left us all too quickly.”
Valenzuela’s rise from humble beginnings because the youngest of 12 kids in Mexico and his feats on the mound made him massively widespread and influential in Los Angeles’ Latino group whereas serving to entice new followers to Main League Baseball. Their fondness for him continued for years after his retirement.
“63 is approach too younger…. A bit of my childhood is gone,” actor and “Entry Hollywood” co-host Mario Lopez posted on X. “Rising up as a Mexican child one of many predominant causes I am a Dodgers fan is due to Fernando. … Not solely an excellent participant, however an excellent man to the group. What a legend.”
Eva Torres, initially from Mexico Metropolis, drove from Anaheim to take a look at murals of Valenzuela on Sundown Boulevard close to Dodgers Stadium.
“I wasn’t a fan of baseball however I’m a fan of his,” she stated. “He is like me, an immigrant that got here right here to do nice issues.”
In 1981, Valenzuela turned the Dodgers’ opening day starter as a rookie after Jerry Reuss was injured 24 hours earlier than his scheduled begin. He shut out the Houston Astros 2-0 and commenced the season 8-0 with 5 shutouts and an ERA of 0.50. He turned the primary participant to win a Cy Younger and Rookie of the 12 months in the identical season.
His performances created the delirium referred to as “Fernandomania” amongst Dodgers followers. The ABBA hit “Fernando” would play as he warmed up on the mound.
“Fernando Valenzuela was a real icon of the Dodgers and the sport,” Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., posted on X. “His legacy and reference to the Latino group in LA is among the causes I fell in love with the Dodgers.”
Valenzuela was 13-7 and had a 2.48 ERA in his first season, which was shortened by a gamers’ strike.
He was an All-Star choice yearly from 1981-86, when he recorded 97 victories, 84 full video games, 1,258 strikeouts and a 2.97 ERA. He was 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA in eight postseason begins. He earned two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove.
Valenzuela’s no-hitter on June 29, 1990, a 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, was an emotional profession spotlight. He struck out seven and walked three.
“You probably have a sombrero, throw it to the sky!” Corridor of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully exclaimed in his recreation name.
Nicknamed “El Toro” by the followers, Valenzuela had an unorthodox and memorable pitching movement that included wanting skyward on the apex of every windup. His repertoire included a screwball — making him one of many few pitchers of his period who threw that pitch recurrently. It was taught to him by teammate Bobby Castillo after the Dodgers felt Valenzuela, who wasn’t referred to as a tough thrower, wanted one other pitch.
Early in his Dodgers profession, Valenzuela spoke little English and had bother speaking along with his catchers. Rookie Mike Scioscia realized Spanish and have become Valenzuela’s private catcher earlier than turning into the crew’s full-time catcher.
Valenzuela was a better-than-average hitter, with 10 profession dwelling runs.
Finally, his pitching was compromised by nagging shoulder issues that saved him out of the 1988 postseason, when the Dodgers gained the World Collection.
The crew launched Valenzuela simply earlier than the 1991 season. He additionally pitched for the previous California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.
He retired in 1997, going 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA in 17 seasons, the all-time main league chief in wins and strikeouts (2,074) by a Mexican-born participant. In 11 seasons with the Dodgers, he was 141-116 with a 3.31 ERA.
Valenzuela’s rise from his tiny hometown of Etchohuaquila within the Mexican state of Sonora to stardom within the U.S. was unbelievable. He was the youngest baby in a big household who tagged alongside when his older brothers performed baseball.
He signed his first professional contract at age 16, and shortly started overpowering older gamers within the Mexican Central League.
In 1978, legendary Dodgers scout Mike Brito was in Mexico to look at a shortstop when Valenzuela entered the sport as a reliever. He instantly commanded Brito’s consideration and at age 18, Valenzuela signed with the Dodgers in 1979. He was despatched to the California League that very same 12 months.
In 1980, Valenzuela was referred to as as much as the Dodgers in September and shortly made his large league debut as a reliever.
He stays the one pitcher in MLB historical past to win the Cy Younger and Rookie of the 12 months awards in the identical season. The left-hander was the Nationwide League’s beginning pitcher within the All-Star Sport in 1981, the identical 12 months the Dodgers gained the World Collection.
Throughout his profession, he made the duvet of Sports activities Illustrated and visited the White Home.
In 2003, Valenzuela returned to the Dodgers because the Spanish-language radio colour commentator for NL video games. Twelve years later, he switched to the colour commentator job on the crew’s Spanish-language TV feed.
“He constantly supported the expansion of the sport via the World Baseball Traditional and at MLB occasions throughout his dwelling nation,” Manfred stated in a press release. “As a member of the Dodger broadcasting crew for greater than 20 years, Fernando helped to achieve a brand new technology of followers and domesticate their love of the sport. Fernando will at all times stay a beloved determine in Dodger historical past and a particular supply of pleasure for the tens of millions of Latino followers he impressed.”
He was inducted into the Mexican Skilled Baseball Corridor of Fame in 2014. 5 years later, the Mexican League retired Valenzuela’s No. 34 jersey. The Dodgers adopted in 2023 after conserving his quantity out of circulation since he final pitched for the crew in 1991. The crew has a rule that requires a participant to be within the Baseball Corridor of Fame earlier than having the Dodgers retire his quantity, however they made an exception for Valenzuela.
The Dodgers named Valenzuela as a part of the “Legends of Dodger Baseball” in 2019 and inducted him into the crew’s Ring of Honor in 2023.
He turned a U.S. citizen in 2015.
Valenzuela served on the teaching workers for Mexico through the World Baseball Traditional in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. He was a part-owner of the Mexican League crew Tigres de Quintana Roo, with son Fernando Jr. serving as crew president and son Ricky serving as basic supervisor. Fernando Jr. performed within the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox organizations as a primary baseman.
Along with his sons, he’s survived by his spouse, Linda, who was a schoolteacher from Mexico whom he married in 1981, and daughters Linda and Maria in addition to seven grandchildren.
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