The Dodgers superstar, Fernando Valenzuela, passed away earlier tonight at a Los Angeles Hospital after a long battle with cancer. Acting as the Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher between 1980 and 1990, Valenzuela leaves behind a legacy of athletic excellence and Latine representation, not only in the city but across all of baseball.
Valenzuela was known for his signature windup and screwball that proved to be nearly unhittable for most opponents. His talent helped the Dodgers win the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees. Valenzuela played for six MLB teams in his 17 seasons in the league with the Dodgers being his longest tenure.
“On behalf of the Dodger organization, we profoundly mourn the passing of Fernando,” said Stan Kasten, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a press release. “He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes. He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He has left us all too soon. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife Linda and his family.”
The Sonora-born baseball star started his baseball career at 17 years old and was only 20 when he played his first game with the Dodgers, making him one of the youngest in the league. He went on to become a six-time All-Star, Cy Young winner, Rookie of the Year, and World Series champion with the Dodgers. Valenzuela was the only pitcher to win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year award in the same season in MLB history.
As a Mexican-born player, he was often regarded as the man who bridged the gap between the city of Los Angeles and the Mexican community after the relationship had been severely impacted by the arrival of the Dodgers in the 1950s.
Before the Dodgers organization moved to L.A. from Brooklyn, New York, the city of Los Angeles had approved the revitalization of the Chavez Ravine. This enclave of Mexican American families who had made their way to the area after previous displacement due to redlining and discriminatory policies was set to provide accessible public housing to community members. At the time, hundreds had sold their homes to the city at an under-market value in an effort to create better infrastructure and welfare in the area.
However, the arrival of the Dodgers, as a result of a land sale from the city, led to a forceful and violent eviction of 1,800 Mexican Americans living in the area, causing long-lasting distrust and high tensions between the predominantly low-income community and the multi-million dollar baseball organization.
Valenzuela is credited with expanding the Dodgers’ fan base to Latinos across Los Angeles as he was one of the first-ever Mexican players on the team. By doing so, Valenzuela was able to mend the relationship between the Mexican community and the Los Angeles team by drawing in big crowds of Mexican aficionados.
Only eight to ten percent of the fans at Dodger Stadium were Latine before Valenzuela took the mound in the 80′s. Now, the team is categorized as having a predominantly Latine following. His charisma and skill helped contribute to the public’s admiration of Valenzuela and morphed into a baseball phenomenon known as “Fernandomania.”
“Fernandomania” created an unprecedented change in the public’s perception of the Dodgers – one that transformed the organization for generations to come. By 2015, 2.1 million of the 3.9 million fans attending Dodger games were Latine, thanks in part to the cultural movement in baseball that was spearheaded by Fernando Valenzuela.
“Fernando was the one that lit the torch and really connected the team with the fans. If you [had] a box-office star from Mexico, it made it a lot more personal from the Latino standpoint. And suddenly, the English-speaking fans were fascinated by this superstar from a Mexican village,” said the Dodgers’ team historian Mark Langill in a 2017 interview.
He had recently stepped down from serving as the Dodger’s long-term Spanish color commentator after calling games since his start in 2003.
Though he was never inducted into the MLB Baseball Hall of Fame, his jersey number, 34, was retired in 2019, honoring his significant contributions to the organization, the city of Los Angeles and the sport of baseball.
Valenzuela was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
The Dodgers will honor Valenzuela during the opening game of the 2024 World Series in Los Angeles on Friday, October 25.