NFL
By George Lopez
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a tradition of only retiring numbers of players who have been inducted in MLB’s Hall of Fame. In 1978, the Dodgers broke that tradition when they retired Jim Gilliam’s number after his untimely death at 49. This weekend, the Dodgers once again will break tradition with the retirement of Fernando Valenzuela’s number 34. Though Valenzuela has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame, what he has meant to the organization and the city of Los Angeles goes beyond the baseball diamond.
Prior to Valenzuela’s arrival, the Hispanic community largely stood away from Dodger Stadium. There was still anger against the Dodgers as people, mostly Hispanics, were forced to move out of Chavez Ravine so Dodger Stadium could be built. In 1980, Valenzuela gave Dodger fans a glimpse of what was to come when he was called up late in the season and went 2-0 with 1 save. Fernadomania was born in 1981, when given the start opening day, Valenzuela threw a 5 hit shutout against Houston. Valenzuela began the 1981 season going 8-0 with 5 shutouts. Hispanic fans began coming to Dodger Stadium in droves to see Valenzuela pitch. Finally, the Hispanic community felt like they had one of their own wearing Dodger blue. The fans began calling Valenzuela El Toro (The Bull). Anytime Valenzuela pitched, Dodger Stadium was packed to the rafters. Valenzuela’s stardom not only shined in Los Angeles, but also on the road.
When the Dodgers traveled, crowds flocked to the stadiums to see Valenzuela pitch. It had been years where fans were so eager to see a player of this magnitude. Valenzuela finished his 1981 rookie season with a 13-7 record and 2.48 E.R.A with 11 complete games. In the postseason, Valenzuela pitched 8 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run in game 5 of the NLCS to help the Dodgers win the NL Pennant. In the World Series, Valenzuela was handed the ball in a must win game 3. Valenzuela gutted out a completed game victory for the Dodgers despite walking 7 and allowing 4 runs to help the Dodgers defeat the Yankees and win the World Series. Valenzuela capped off the 1981 season by winning both Rookie of the Year and the N.L. Cy Young award.
Valenzuela followed up his rookie year by winning 19 games in 1982. In 1986, Valenzuela had perhaps his best season, winning 21 games along with 20 complete games. Injuries began to take their toll on Valenzuela, never topping more than 14 wins after the 1986 season. In 1990, Valenzuela gave Dodger fans a glimpse of early years when he pitched a no-hitter against the Cardinals. For his career, Valenzuela won 173 games with 117 complete games. After his retirement, Valenzuela was still a beloved figure at Dodgers Stadium. Valenzuela, returned to the Dodgers as a Spanish Radio color analyst, with 2023 marking his 21st season behind the mic.
Fernando Valenzuela was a cultural icon. What he did for the Dodgers, MLB and the City of Los Angeles was more than just throwing a baseball. Valenzuela’s impact was also felt outside of baseball. This young man from Mexico, who looked up to the sky during his windup and frustrated hitters with his screwball, brought the Hispanic community to Dodger Stadium. Not only the Hispanic community, Valenzuela brought the entire city of Los Angeles together. His impact on the Dodgers and the city of Los Angeles is still felt to this day. It’s good for todays fans to learn about our stars of the past. The Dodgers did the right thing breaking, tradition and retiring Fernando Valenzuela’s number 34.
