At 11 a.m. on Nov. 3, Mariachi Plaza was flooded with a wave of Dodger blue.
A 52-foot tall mural of Fernando Valenzuela gazed down on the city of Los Angeles. An ofrenda for El Toro sat just beneath the mural, celebrating his life. The smell of incense was strong throughout First Street.
After the Dodgers won the World Series, the City of Angels was hit with the realization that the legend who was Fernando Valenzuela had left us for the very heavens he admired before every pitch.
No words could describe Valenzuela’s impact on Los Angeles.
Due to the demolition of Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers faced backlash and lost supporters in the Latino community.
Valenzuela represented all Latinos and immigrants from Mexico who came to America to change their lives for the better. Not only did his story give hope to the Mexican people, it gave them courage.
Valenzuela was the bridge between Mexican and baseball culture being welcomed into the city. Not all his fame and recognition stems from his success on the mound, it stems from his heart.
Born in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, Valenzuela quickly rose to Mexico’s highest level of baseball, beginning his professional league career with the Guanajuato Tuzos in the Mexican Center League. Valenzuela was drafted by the Dodgers in 1979 and made his MLB debut in 1980.
“I was very fortunate to know Fernando since the first day he came to this country,” Spanish language radio broadcaster for the Dodgers Jaime Jarrín said. “I was representing the Dodgers to welcome him to Houston in 1980.”
However, it wasn’t until his Opening Day debut in 1981, that all of Los Angeles caught a case of Fernandomania.
When I hear Fernandomania, the first person I think of is my grandmother, Bertha Aranda. The person who made me a Dodgers fan.
“I loved him because he was Mexican-American like me and we’re both very proud of our heritage,” Aranda said.
As he grew, his fame grew. His famous windup as he looked into the sky and kick would captivate viewers. Hitters would be thrown off by his lethal screwball and raw talent.
Since the screwball was not common, Valenzuela brought a revival to the pitch making his pitching style even more unique and hard to hit.
Valenzuela helped the Dodgers win the World Series his rookie year. He is the only player to earn the Cy Young award, Rookie of the Year, and a World Series title in the same season.
Valenzuela continues to be a symbol of pride for many and will inspire Mexican-American baseball/softball players for years to come.
Off the field after retirement, Valenzuela became a familiar voice on the Spanish broadcast of Dodgers games and was set to become the new Spanish voice of the Dodgers.
He also continued to support young athletes in baseball and softball by partnering with the Dodgers Foundation.
Valenzuela has changed the perception of Latinos in the game of baseball and in the world.
He influenced the youth of time, continued to do so throughout his life, and will continue to influence after his death.
“Millions of Dodger fans are able to see a piece of their heritage and themselves within him,” lifelong Dodgers fan and sales representative for Los Angeles Angels Brianna Macias said, “He Inspired young men and women to have goals much bigger than themselves and where they come from.”
Artist Robert Vargas had been working on a mural of Valenzuela in Boyle Heights.
I was very fortunate to be present during the unveiling of the second third of this mural. The mural features Valenzuela’s iconic wind up, going through each motion in three different panels.
“I just wish he was here today,” actor Edward James Olmos said. “His birthday was two days ago and Robert was doing this on the day he died.”
As I stood on the street watching the blue tarp come down revealing the mural, I felt him with us looking up at the beautiful piece.
Valenzuela’s success was a gateway for me personally in my previous softball career, allowing me to confidently express my ethnicity.
I proudly displayed the Lebanese flag because I know that Valenzuela did not just fight for Mexicans, he fought for all minorities in sports.
“I keep very fond and beautiful memories about Fernando,” Jarrín said.
Many Dodgers fans relate to these words spoken by Jarrín, Valenzuela created joyful memories for many around the world and his legacy leaves a lasting impact on the baseball community.
Leila El Sabbagh is a sophomore journalism major and a staff writer for the Campus Times. She can be reached at leila.elsabbagh@laverne.edu.
Leila El Sabbagh is the sports editor for the Campus Times. She is a sophomore journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism who aspires to be a sports broadcaster. She has previously served as a staff writer for the Campus Times.
