LOS ANGELES — The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the New York Yankees in the World Series, prior to Friday evening’s Game 1, was 1981. The Dodgers had the NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young winner in their rotation. He was a strapping southpaw out of Mexico named Fernando Valenzuela. So commanding was his presence and his impact that the fanfare became known as Fernandomania.
Think about that: In order to get a “mania” thrown after your name, you practically have to be The Beatles. That’s what Fernando meant to the local community surrounding Chavez Ravine.
“I think if there’s two people that probably impacted this organization most, I think you would say Jackie Robinson and Fernando Valenzuela,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Game 1. “No disrespect to anyone else, but if you’re talking about currently the fan base, there’s a lot of people that are here and support the Dodgers south of the border because of Fernando.”
The man who threw out the ceremonial first pitch in Game 1 of the 2017 World Series was now, unfortunately, gone. Valenzuela passed away this past week at age 63.
He was not, however, even remotely forgotten. Throughout the concourses before Game 1, dozens of Valenzuela jerseys could be seen. A tribute video for him aired before the game. A blue No. 34 was painted on the backside of the pitcher’s mound. Valenzuela family members were honored before the game. Orel Hershiser and Steve Yeager wore Fernando jerseys for their ceremonial first pitch, and national anthem performer Brad Paisley wore a No. 34 pin.
In the hallways underneath the main level that lead to both clubhouses, the walls are lined with Dodgers award winners. For Valenzuela’s Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards, the Dodgers have placed blue ribbons on the corner. Same with his display for having his number retired.
There are reminders everywhere.
“His legacy continues to live on,” said Roberts. “He was a friend of mine. And so to not see him up in the booth or to say hello is sad for me and his family. But Fernando was a gentleman, a great Dodger, and what a humble man.”
In 1981, Valenzuela started Game 3 of the World Series, the first game of the series hosted in Los Angeles. Fernandomania dictated that he win the game, which, of course, he did in a 147-pitch, complete-game effort. Of course he did. That’s what Fernando did. He had 11 complete games in the regular season and that was his second of the 1981 postseason.
It was just one of the many things about Fernando Valenzuela that resonated so much with the Dodgers franchise for decades. He was such an incredibly important part of the L.A. baseball family. It’s a shame to have lost him, but there couldn’t have been a better time to honor him that during another Dodgers-Yankees World Series.
