Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexico-born Los Angeles Dodgers icon who helped bring about the team’s 1981 World Series victory and who inspired the “Fernandomania” craze thanks to his unique and flamboyant pitching style, died Tuesday, the team announced. He was 63.
“He was a lot more than just a heavy set left handed pitcher. He was smart and seemingly always in control of himself and hitters who thought they might get the best out of the Southpaw from Sonora, Mexico. Well, it didn’t happen all that often. He was, after all, one of 12 children. He was the patron saint and the king of Fernando mania, discovered by the legendary Scout Mike Brito. Fernando made his major league debut in 1980 at the ripe old age of 19,” said a short documentary about Valenzuela, shared by the Los Angeles Dodgers on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
“Enormously popular and beloved in the Dodger community, on the field Fernando was larger than life, and always will be. Fernando Valenzuela, a Dodger legend,” the clip concluded.
In a separate statement, Major League Baseball said, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela. ‘Fernandomania’ swept through baseball in 1981 when the 20-year old rookie sensation began the season 8-0 with a 0.50 ERA. The lefthander capped off his incredible year by winning both the NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards while helping lead Los Angeles to a World Series title. Valenzuela pitched 17 Major League seasons, was a 6-time All-Star, and has the most wins (173) and strikeouts (2,074) of any Mexican-born pitcher.”
The organization also noted that Valenzuela worked since 2003 as a Spanish language broadcaster for the LA Dodgers. The team retired his uniform number, 34, in 2023.
Born in Etchohuaquila, Mexico in 1960, Valenzuela began his professional career in his home country starting in 1977 with Mayos de Navojoa as part of the now-defunct Mexican minor league Mexican Central League. He was scouted by the Dodgers 2 years later, at which point he played for one year for the Dodgers-affiliated Lodi Dodgers.
He was brought into the MLB team proper at the very end of the 1980 season, but made his official rookie debut in 1981. He was a sensation from the start, pitching 5 shut-out games during his first 8 games and inspiring “Fernandomania.”
Valenzuela won both Rookie of the Year and the CY Young that year and was instrumental in the Dodgers’ World Series victory. He was also MLB All-Star every year from 1981 to 1986.
By the end of the decade he had injured his shoulder more than once and was reluctantly let go by the Dodgers in 1991. He was signed to brief stints with the California Angeles, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals but played sporadically and bounced between Mexican and U.S. teams. He retired from Major League Baseball in 1997, though he continued to play in Mexico until his final retirement from pro baseball in 2006.
Valenzuela was part of the Mexican national baseball team coaching staff for the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2015.
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