Fernando Valenzuela has died, but his legacy will live on, thanks to countless memories shared of the iconic Dodgers left-hander. Here are several stories of his glorious baseball life.

Hall of Fame Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jarrín spoke with Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register:

"This is a crushing blow even though I knew he was in really, really bad shape," said retired broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who served as Valenzuela's interpreter during the Mexican left-hander's first years in the majors and then as his broadcast partner later. "He was very special to me - and to Dodger fans."

Dusty Baker was 12 years older than Valenzuela, who debuted with the Dodgers as a teenager in 1980. Baker told Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic this:

Baker was 31 when Valenzuela, still just 19 years old, made his Dodgers debut in 1980. As a running gag, the pitcher would tap Baker on the shoulder to get him to look the wrong way and then giggle with childlike vigor when it worked.

"Fernando was a kid," Baker said. "He acted like a kid. He was fun. He acted like a kid everywhere but on the mound."

Jon Morosi narrated this remembrance video of Valenzuela's life. "America in 1981 was a place and time when the page in a folktale turned at the right pace," Morosi said, "Faster than the evening paper, slower than a tweet, with space to soak in the wonder in every chapter."

Valenzuela in the postseason was 5-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 63⅔ innings.

"His unorthodox pitching motion, distinct physique and seemingly mysterious aura left an indelible mark on people from all walks of life," wrote Ed Guzman at the Los Angeles Times, "Whether it was Los Angeles' Latino community grappling with the displacement created when the Dodgers built their stadium, Mexican immigrants and their families or artists inspired by his wizardry on the mound."

"He wasn't desperate for the validation of others," Dylan Hernández wrote at the LA Times. "He knew who he was and what he was about."

Steve Garvey talked with Jim Hill on KCBS Sports Central about his former teammate:

Jon Weisman excerpted the Valenzuela chapter from his book 'Brothers in Arms' at Dodger Thoughts.

Gustavo Arellano at the LA Times argued that Valenzuela deserves to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Valenzuela won two Silver Slugger Awards, in 1981 and 1983 with the Dodgers. During his career, he hit .368 (7-for-19 with a double) as a pinch-hitter.

"His influence is so strong, it is literally stitched across fans' backs," wrote Bill Plaschke of the LA Times. "Valenzuela broke no lifetime pitching records, his career is more Ken Holtzman than Sandy Koufax, yet throughout the Southland the majority of souvenir Dodger jerseys still bear his name."

Included in Richard Sandomir's obituary of Valenzuela in the New York Times is the origin story of longtime Dodgers scout Mike Brito signing the left-hander:

Valenzuela was discovered by accident in 1978 when Mike Brito, a Dodgers scout, was on a trip to Silao, Mexico, to watch a shortstop, Ali Uscanga, play in a Mexican rookie league game. His attention was diverted by the performance of Valenzuela, who struck out 12 batters for the team from Guanajuato, Silao's opponent that day.

Valenzuela finished second in National League Cy Young Award voting with 21 wins in 1986, when he pitched a career-best 20 complete games. No major league pitcher has completed 20 games in a season since.

The Dodgers lit Dodger Stadium in blue in honor of Valenzuela on Tuesday night. He will be honored officially by Major League Baseball this weekend during the World Series.

Of Valenzuela's number-34 retirement ceremony in 2023, Andy McCullough at The Athletic wrote Tuesday, "The ceremony demonstrated Valenzuela's importance to the franchise, how his contributions extended beyond that one summer, beyond his admirable decade on the field."

Fernandomania will never die, wrote Jim Alexander at the Orange County Register.

"Valenzuela's windup -- the leg kick and the way he looked to the heavens before throwing each pitch -- remains one of the most distinct and celebrated deliveries in the history of the sport," Jesse Sanchez wrote at MLB.com. "But he was more than just an athlete. Valenzuela broke barriers and also built bridges as a Mexican-born star for the Dodgers."

On Tuesday night, fans flocked to the entrance of Dodger Stadium at the corner of Stadium Way and Vin Scully Avenue to pay respects to Valenzuela.