World Courant
LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fernando Valenzuelathe Mexican-born Los Angeles Dodgers phenom who impressed “Fernandomania” whereas successful the NL Cy Younger Award and Rookie of the 12 months in 1981 has died. He was 63.
The staff mentioned he died Tuesday night at a Los Angeles hospital, however didn’t present a trigger or different particulars.
His dying comes because the Dodgers put together to open the World Sequence at dwelling in opposition to the New York Yankees on Friday night time. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned Valenzuela could be honored throughout the collection at Dodger Stadium.
Valenzuela had left his job as a shade commentator on the Dodgers’ Spanish-language tv broadcast in September with out clarification. He was reportedly admitted to hospital earlier this month. His job saved him an everyday at Dodger Stadium, the place he carried out within the press field eating room earlier than video games and remained fashionable 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 fashionable determine within the Nineteen Eighties, though he was by no means elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame. Nonetheless, he’s a part of Cooperstown, which incorporates a number of artifacts, together with an autographed ball from his 1990 no-hitter.
“He is without doubt one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore amongst franchise heroes,” Stan Kasten, staff president and CEO, mentioned in a press release. since then he has left us all too quickly, not solely as a participant but additionally as a presenter.’
Valenzuela’s rise from humble beginnings because the youngest of twelve kids in Mexico and his exploits on the mound made him enormously fashionable and influential within the Los Angeles Latino neighborhood, whereas on the similar time attracting new followers to Main League Baseball. Their fondness for him continued years after his retirement.
“63 is manner too younger…. Part of my childhood is gone,” actor and co-host of “Entry Hollywood” Mario Lopez posted about X. “I grew up a Mexican child and one of many essential causes I am a Dodgers fan is due to Fernando. … Not only a nice participant, however an amazing man for the neighborhood. 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 mentioned. “He is similar to me, an immigrant who 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 shutout the Houston Astros 2-0 and began 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 prompted the delirium often known as “Fernandomania” amongst Dodgers followers. The ABBA hit “Fernando” performed as he warmed up on the mound.
“Fernando Valenzuela was a real icon of the Dodgers and the sport,” Rep. Jimmy GomezD-Calif., posted on X. “His legacy and connection to the Latino neighborhood in LA is without doubt one of 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 made the All-Star roster yearly from 1981 to 1986, when he recorded 97 wins, 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 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, was an emotional spotlight of his profession. He struck out seven and walked three.
“When you’ve got a sombrero, throw it within the air!” Corridor of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully he exclaimed in his recreation name.
Valenzuela, nicknamed “El Toro” by followers, had an unorthodox and memorable pitching transfer, trying skyward on the high of every windup. His repertoire included a screwball, making him one of many few pitchers of his period to throw that pitch usually. It was taught to him by teammate Bobby Castillo after the Dodgers felt Valenzuela, who was not often known as a tough thrower, wanted one other pitch.
Early in his Dodgers profession, Valenzuela spoke little English and had problem speaking along with his catchers. Rookie Mike Scioscia realized Spanish and have become Valenzuela’s private catcher earlier than turning into the staff’s full-time catcher.
Valenzuela was an higher than common hitter, with 10 dwelling runs in his profession.
Finally, his pitching was compromised by nagging shoulder issues that saved him out of the 1988 postseason, when the Dodgers received the World Sequence.
The staff 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 and went 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 small hometown of Etchohuaquila within the Mexican state of Sonora to stardom within the US was unlikely. He was the youngest youngster in a big household who tagged alongside when his older brothers performed baseball.
He signed his first skilled contract on the age of 16 and shortly started to overwhelm older gamers within the Mexican Central League.
In 1978, legendary Dodgers scout Mike Brito was in Mexico trying out a shortstop when Valenzuela entered the sport as a reliever. He instantly caught Brito’s consideration and at age 18, Valenzuela signed with the Dodgers in 1979. That very same 12 months he was despatched to the California League.
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 Recreation in 1981, the identical 12 months the Dodgers received the World Sequence.
Throughout his profession, he made the quilt of Sports activities Illustrated and visited the White Home.
In 2003, Valenzuela returned to the Dodgers as a Spanish-language radio shade commentator for NL video games. Twelve years later, he moved on to the job as a shade commentator on the staff’s Spanish-language TV feed.
“He persistently supported the expansion of the sport on the World Baseball Traditional and at MLB occasions in his dwelling nation,” Manfred mentioned in a press release. “As a member of the Dodger broadcast staff for greater than twenty years, Fernando has helped attain a brand new era of followers and domesticate their love for the sport. Fernando will at all times stay a beloved determine in Dodger historical past and a particular supply of delight for the thousands and thousands 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 quantity 34 jersey. The Dodgers adopted swimsuit in 2023 after preserving his quantity out of circulation since he final pitched for the staff in 1991. The staff has a rule that requires a participant to be within the Baseball Corridor of Fame earlier than the Dodgers can 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 staff’s Ring of Honor in 2023.
He turned an American citizen in 2015.
Valenzuela served on Mexico’s teaching employees throughout the World Baseball Traditional in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. He was co-owner of the Mexican League staff Tigres de Quintana Roo, with son Fernando Jr. as staff president and son Ricky as common supervisor. Fernando Jr. performed as a primary baseman within the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox organizations.
Along with his sons, he’s survived by his spouse Linda, a trainer from Mexico whom he married in 1981, and daughters Linda and Maria, in addition to seven grandchildren.
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