The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the passing of one of their franchise legends, Fernando Valenzuela, four days before the team will begin play against the New York Yankees in the World Series.
Valenzuela, who united the city's Mexican-American community with his heroics on the mound, was 63. No cause of death was immediately announced.
A native of Navojoa, Mexico, Valenzuela made his mark on the sport as the Dodgers marched to the 1981 World Series. That year, he became the first player in MLB history to be named Rookie of the Year and win a Cy Young Award in the same season.
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After 11 seasons (1980-90) electrifying the fan base in Los Angeles, Valenzuela went on to pitch for the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals from 1991-97. He continued to pitch in his native Mexico for the better part of the next decade.
Over 17 MLB seasons, Valenzuela went 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA. Although he never equaled his success as a rookie, Valenzuela made six All-Star teams with the Dodgers and collected a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award along the way.
The Dodgers broke their longstanding franchise policy of retiring only the numbers of Hall of Famers by formally retiring Valenzuela's number 34 in Aug. 2023. Although no player had worn the number since Valenzuela's final game in a Dodgers uniform, they had not broken the policy for any retired player since Jim Gilliam died tragically in 1978 while he was still an active member of the team's coaching staff.
A member of the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum, and the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame, Valenzuela had been appearing on Dodgers Spanish-language broadcasts for the last 22 years.
On Oct. 2, the team announced Valenzuela was stepping away from his broadcast duties to focus on his health.
Valenzuela continued to endear himself to Angelenos young and old by remaining a visible presence at Dodger Stadium and in the community.
Last year, in celebration of Mexican American Heritage Night at Dodger Stadium, he helped Dodger players and staff package and distribute food for more than 400 predominately Mexican American families facing food insecurity in East Los Angeles.
Jaime Jarrin, the Dodgers' Spanish play-by-play broadcaster who also served as Valenzuela's interpreter amid his historic 1981 season, called Valenzuela's death "a crushing blow" in an interview with Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group.
"He meant so much to me," Jarrin said, via Plunkett. "He meant so much to the Latino fan base. No other baseball player did what he did. He made so many baseball fans, more than anyone else. People who came here from Latin America didn't care about baseball. But they became fans of Fernando and because of him baseball fans."
"On behalf of the Dodger organization, we profoundly mourn the passing of Fernando," Dodger president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement. "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."
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement that Valenzuela's memory would be honored during the World Series. Game 1 is Friday at Dodger Stadium.
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"Fernando Valenzuela was one of the most impactful players of his generation," Manfred's statement read. "With his distinctive pitching style, the Dodger left-hander's rookie season generated so much excitement in the U.S. and his native Mexico that it became commonly referred to as 'Fernandomania. His 1981 season ranks among the most decorated pitching years of all-time as Fernando was the National League Rookie of the Year, the NL Cy Young Award winner, a Silver Slugger, and a World Series Champion.
"Following his memorable career, Fernando was an outstanding ambassador for baseball. He consistently supported the growth of the game through the World Baseball Classic and at MLB events across his home country. As a member of the Dodger broadcasting team for more than 20 years, Fernando helped to reach a new generation of fans and cultivate their love of the game. Fernando will always remain a beloved figure in Dodger history and a special source of pride for the millions of Latino fans he inspired."