He could hit, he could bunt, field his position. Players elected to the Hall of Fame fall into different categories: No matter why or how they got in, they are in the Hall of Fame. What he accomplished from 1980 to 1987 ranks atop any pre steroid performer like Roger Clemens. There were these growing pains in Southern California, which was a dominant white culture, because people were saying, 'OK, this is going to be a Mexican culture in the next couple of decades, so what are we going to do with it? The Dodgers actually found him, which was in itself a miracle. He was stellar in the 1981 playoffs including his World Series game 3 start. Large homemade Viva Fernando signs in the bleachers were all the rage. After being staked to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Valenzuela gave up four runs in the next two frames, including a solo home run by Bob Watson and a two-run shot by Rick Cerone in the top of the third that gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead. But he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball for a 6-year span and a true Dodger legend. Valenzuelas place in history is secure. Fernando.". No ifs or butts about it!!! That helped me a lot in my career.. When its good, its incredible, and when executed perfectly, youll never forget it. Nathalie Alonso is part of the editorial team of LasMayores.com, MLBs official Spanish-language website. This guy was godsend like orel, and Clayton. Of the 15 left-handed Major League pitchers in the Hall Fame, only Lefty Gomez (2,503) and Koufax (2,324 1/3) threw fewer innings than Venezuela. Valenzuela's rise to major league prominence began in September 1980, when he was called up from the minor leagues by the Dodgers. In that stretch, he struck out 68 and allowed four earned runs in 72 innings for a mind-boggling 0.50 ERA. It led to a violent conflict between one family, the Archigas, and L.A. County Sheriffs in 1959. It has sustained itself to the point where I really believe half the crowds at Dodger Stadium now are Latinos.. Don't miss any Dodgers News, Rumors, and Exclusive Offers! Fernando was in the inaugural class because of the impact he had here and because of the following he continues to have among our fanbase.. Eliminated from annual BBWAA consideration by poor performance or expiration on this ballot. Evidently the writers passed over one man selected by the Hall of Famers, for there were 26 players on the final ballot. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Not mine as much as my Dad's. A total of 3272 individual votes were cast, an average of 6.60 per ballot. [25] However, . (In the event, the system was reformed again after the third fruitless election for players and the second for other contributors in February 2007.). The feeling was that this team was starting to run out of time to accomplish winning a world championship, said first baseman Steve Garvey, who played for the Dodgers from 1969 through 1982. ), Hal McCoy received the J. G. Taylor Spink Award honoring a baseball writer. If they could have fit a million people into Dodger Stadium, there would have been a million people there, actor Danny Trejo, the son of Mexican American parents, told the Los Angeles Times. ( marks those newly eligible since 2001 (eight). Why do they keep ignoring the fact that he was one of th e best? As promised, I will attempt to make the Hall of Fame (HoF)case for former Dodgers starFernando Valenzuela. Valenzuelas feats lured members of all communities in Los Angeles to the ballpark, including a few unlikely fans: those displaced by the construction of Dodger Stadium. I always think twice about what I want to do or say, and I think its the only way to achieve certain things in life. Todays Fernando is a fun-loving grandfather with a dry sense of humor and perfect comedic timing. It seemed like there was nothing he couldnt do. At one point, the left-hander made 255 consecutive starts before going on the injured list for the first time in 1988 because of shoulder troubles that cost him two months and the opportunity to pitch in another World Series. He won his first eight starts with seven complete games and five shutouts, on his way to That helps me get through all those innings. It would be really great if they remembered me as someone who always tried his best to always give them a good show, so that they could have fun with this beautiful game.. A lot of people appreciate what I tried to do and that is something Ill always remember. For his career, Valenzuela finished with a record of 173-153, a 41.5 career WAR, a 3.54 ERA, 2,930 innings pitched, 2,074 strikeouts and a 1.32 WHIP. The fundamental problem with many in the media is that they mistake . Results of the 2003 election by the BBWAA were announced on January 7. That wasnt a Dodgers shirt. 53). #Retire34, Tim Rogers 2080 ? Valenzuela's secret weapon was a screwball, a pitch he learned from Dodgers pitcher Bobby Castillo 18 months earlier. One thing is certain: Valenzuela broke barriers. Hes at peace with his legacy and place in baseball history. Army family housing appropriation thresholds. Fernando Valenzuela was a Pitcher. Bobby Cox, Bud Selig,John Schuerholz, Bruce Sutter, Bill Mazeroski, and many others without the qualifications of Valenzuela are in the Hall of Fame. I cant remember one player who captured the fantasy of the fans and the media the way Fernando did. First of all, Valenzuela was on the HoF ballot for the first time in 2003 and fell off in 2004. Four decades later, the ordinary-looking man with extraordinary talent remains a cultural hero, a baseball legend and a mythical figure because of his feats on the field, and his humble nature off of it. Feel free to click the Baseball Referencelinks on their names to compare for yourself. His next 18 pitches were strikes, Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia told the Times. Shes like us, out there running around with a T-shirt with blue sleeves that she bought at a hardware store and had 34 ironed on the back. From 1980-86, his statistics say yes. Back at sold-out Dodger Stadium, fans bought T-shirts with Valenzuelas name on the back, made their own or bought bootleg versions available all over the city. [1], The process would cover players every two years and other contributors (managers, umpires and executives) every four years. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda started Valenzuela, awakening him from a slumber to give him the news. After posting league-leading totals in starts, shutouts, innings pitched and strikeouts that would eventually earn him Cy Young and Rookie of the Year honors, Valenzuela continued to make his mark in the 1981 postseason. "He was an extremely important person in the history of baseball.. Valenzuela wasnt the first to throw the screwball. For my generation, Im talking Generation X, the children of Mexican immigrants that grew up in Southern California in the 1980s, hes not a myth, he was a hero. Years later, Lopez made his own statement with a No. 19), the club's first-base coach who died before the start of the 1978 World Series. He would have won over 25 wins every year with dodgers last 6 seasons for sure and 5 world series, He also won 21 games in 86 with a fifth place dodger team and was robbed of his second cy young awards given to Mike Scott of the Astros with only 16 wins big time robbery, I agree with the fact that he was overused. Valenzuela, the National League's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game as a rookie, finished the strike-shortened 1981 season with a 13-7 won-loss record and a 2.48 ERA, one of the best in the big leagues. Instead Fernando went the whole way (he probably threw more than 140 pitches) and helped get the Dodgers on the path to winning the 1981 World Series. Future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson had already thrown one no-hitter during the 1990 season when he combined with Chuck Finley to throw another one in Japan. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Nowadays, Valenzuelas at the age where he's finally allowing himself to take a look at the past through the rearview mirror, but the most celebrated Mexican in the history of Major League Baseball still does not like talking about himself or Fernandomania. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller, Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, School is in session as Sparks begin training camp. Fernandos peak from late 1980-1986 was filled with high performance, and historic impact on the game. But Arellano, who for years thought Valenzuela didn't merit Hall of Fame consideration, believes otherwise. I wore it like any other number," Valenzuela added. From purely a fan perspective I cannot think of a player since Jackie Robinson that has had a generational draw like Valenzuela. In fact, at this point, it is premature and meaningless to discuss the induction of a nine-year-old pitcher into the Hall of Fame. He could lasso anything.. I remember how his rivals laughed at his delivery and his weight. We won. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Valenzuela finally took his first loss of the season -- and of his career -- on May 18, when he allowed four runs in seven innings against the Phillies. I think the players were as caught up as anyone else., Decades later, Valenzuela said his 1981 success was simple. Fernando Valenzuela Stats, Fantasy & News. Valenzuela should be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Five years earlier, a statue of Valenzuela was erected at the entrance of Estadio de Bisbol Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico. Wow-what horrid reasoning. This page was last edited on 25 March 2023, at 02:41. Arellano, who grew up in Southern California, was a toddler during the summer of Fernandomania. Dodgers fans, especially Mexican Americans, were eager to see the kid for a full season. I think it is not too much to say that for Mexican-American communities, Valenzuela was a hero like Hank Greenberg was for the Jews. And then the next wave was Fernando, who captured the attention of the entire Hispanic world.. Lasorda stuck with Valenzuela and the managers faith in the pitcher was rewarded when Fernando shut down the Yankees the rest of the way. For road games, attendance increased by 5,000 to 10,000 for his starts. My slider wasnt very good. A total of 3272 individual votes were cast, an average of 6.60 per ballot. R. Richard Eddie Rommel Charley Root Al Rosen Schoolboy Rowe Pete Runnels Jimmy Ryan Johnny Sain Manny Sanguilln Ron Santo Hank Sauer Wally Schang Hal Schumacher George Scott Rip Sewell Bob Shawkey Urban Shocker Roy Sievers Curt Simmons Vern Stephens Riggs Stephenson Mel Stottlemyre Harry Stovey Jesse Tannehill Tony Taylor Johnny Temple Fred Tenney Bobby Thomson Mike Tiernan Joe Torre Cecil Travis Hal Trosky Virgil Trucks George Van Haltren Johnny Vander Meer Bobby Veach Mickey Vernon Dixie Walker Bucky Walters Lon Warneke Will White Cy Williams Ken R. Williams Maury Wills Wilbur Wood Glenn Wright Jimmy Wynn Rudy York, Gene Autry Buzzie Bavasi Samuel Breadon Charles Bronfman Gussie Busch George W. Bush Roger Craig Harry Dalton Bill Dinneen Charles Dressen Barney Dreyfuss Chub Feeney John Fetzer Charles O. Finley John Galbreath Larry Goetz Calvin Griffith Fred Haney Doug Harvey Garry Herrmann Whitey Herzog John Heydler Ralph Houk Bob Howsam Fred Hutchinson Ewing Kauffman Bowie Kuhn Frank Lane Billy Martin Gene Mauch Marvin Miller Danny Murtaugh Hank O'Day Walter O'Malley Steve O'Neill Paul Owens Steve Palermo Gabe Paul Joan Payson Babe Pinelli Bob Quinn Alfred Reach Beans Reardon Paul Richards Cy Rigler Bill Rigney Ben Shibe Charles Somers Billy Southworth George Stallings Bill Summers Cedric Tallis Chuck Tanner Birdie Tebbetts Patsy Tebeau Chris von der Ahe Lee Weyer Bill White Dick Williams Phil Wrigley. The most powerful people in the government were in line waiting so that a young man from Mexico who didnt speak English could sign an autograph for them, Jarrn said. The only left-handed pitchers in the Hall of Fame with an ERA as high as Valenzuelas are Herb Pennock (3.60), whose career began in 1912, and Tom Glavine (3.54), who pitched through the steroid era. The widespread calls spoke to the enormity of Valenzuelas legacy. Honorees have a permanent plaque on display at Dodger Stadium. You cannot like what happened at Chavez Ravine and still love the Dodgers, says Arellano, who also taught Chicano Studies at Cal State Fullerton. Lumbago wikipedia france. In front of a crowd of 50,511, Valenzuela showed no signs of nerves as he twirled a five-hit shutout, striking out five with the help of his screwball, to help Los Angeles start the season with a 2-0 win over the Astros. Years with Dodgers: 1980-1990. . Its almost always easier for a lefty pitcher to throw those kinds of pitches.. You can also follow SVHS athletics on twitter and Instagram @svhsathletics or at screamingeagleathletics on Facebook. No Dodgers player has worn Valenzuelas jersey No. The 2002 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot Results are detailed in full by Baseball Almanac. The pitch has always been about risk-reward with higher on the risk, but Fernando knew exactly what he was doing with it. His best seasons were 1981, his rookie year, and 1986, when he led the National League with 21 wins and had a league-leading 20 complete games. ', So, Fernando in many ways, even though he never had to say it, he was a bridge to let Americans know that, Hey, its going to be OK. Hey all, my next article for @DodgersNation will make the case for putting Fernando Valenzuela into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela won Game 3 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. In rural Mexico, they would beat 'lefthanded-ness' out of you. They had no telephone, so we surprised them. 1), manager Tommy Lasorda (No. He threw 113 complete games, including 31 shutouts. Art or Photo Credit: Tom Forget / MLB.com, Jesse Sanchez, Nathalie Alonso, David Venn. Why on earth include Bud Selig and Bobby Cox? I said it from the beginning, and I believe it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We will never share your email with anyone, A fan of the Dodgers since 1973 since I got my first baseball cards while living in Long Beach. The baseball world -- on and off the field -- would never be the same. He expanded the games customer base. / George Rose/Getty Images, Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms, https://www.history.com/news/fernando-valenzuela-fernandomania-los-angeles-dodgers, When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LAand Major League Baseball. "The Dodgers lucked out," Arellano says of Brita's discovery. Some know me as the "sweater guy". [40] . The 2022 Seneca Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inductees: Tony DeRiggi '04. Valenzuela could receive the Buck ONeil Award, which the Hall of Fame presents once every three or more years to an individual whose extraordinary efforts enhanced baseballs positive impact on society, broadened the games appeal, and whose character, integrity and dignity are comparable to the qualities exhibited by ONeil.. On the anniversary of Fernando Valenzuela's first and only career no-hitter, we make the case that the Dodgers should retire "El Toro's" iconic . He was 9-5 in the first half of 2004 before getting traded to the Yankees. The screwball is hard to learn, even harder to throw and risky because it puts so much stress on the arm. Put Fernando in the hall of fame. Decades before he starred on screens and on stages across the globe, comedian George Lopez was a young Dodgers fan. Dodgers News: Julio Urias Talks About His Fandom of Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers News: Julio Urias Feeds Off the Energy of the Crowd at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers News: Fernando Valenzuela Earns a Very Special Award at Dodger Stadium, The easy calls with great players like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, The players that accumulate stats over long careers, but may never be considered the best of their generation, much like Don Sutton or Bert Blyleven, Players popular with fans and media, like a Phil Rizzuto. Kelechi ndukwe asonye. Those candidates receiving less than 5% of the vote (25 votes) will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee. He further internationalized the player pool. He had it right away, and I think it was exemplified in that game, Game 3, against the Yankees. Darryl Kile, who died during the 2002 season, is also on the ballot. In those first eight games, everything went well, good run support, good defense, says Valenzuela, who became the first -- and to date, the only pitcher to claim both the Rookie of the Year Award and the Cy Young in the same season. In the clubhouse, Valenzuela showed his youth and flashed glimpses of his playful personality. Here comes Fernando, and now all of a sudden, Latinos were out there immediately because they identified with him. The screwball that dropped straight down in the strike zone was best against the most disciplined hitters. In his 1986 All-Star appearance, he tied Carl Hubbell by striking out 5 in a row. If a pitcher had it or looked like he could have it, the Dodgers were a little bit more experimental in the pitching area back then. Players. In a 2-0 opening-day victory over the Houston Astros, Valenzuela pitched a complete game. The rule that requires players to be retired for five seasons before appearing on the ballot was waived. Valenzuelas next three starts came on the road -- in San Francisco, San Diego and Houston. The potholes were as big as some of the houses. In front of 56,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome, Chuck Finley and Randy Johnson combined to no-hit a team of Japanese All-Stars in a 5-0 win. Three years later, Dodger Stadium opened on April 10, 1962, on the land. The ballot consisted of 33 players; 496 ballots were cast, with 372 votes required for election. This season, Valenzuela is calling games inside the Dodgers' Spanish radio booth alongside Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrn, who hails from Ecuador and once served as the pitchers personal interpreter during 1981s Fernandomania. Overuse, along with throwing a screwball, were probably the main culprits of his shortened career. This story originally ran in 2021. Valenzuela had never started a Major League game when he got the call on Opening Day 1981. Houston had eliminated the Dodgers in a one-game tiebreaker the year before to claim the National League West title. I was there when that girl ran on the field and kissed him. But Arellano, who for years thought Valenzuela didn't merit Hall of Fame consideration, believes otherwise. Your email address will not be published. For me, it was about what you did for the game and how you impacted the sport. 39), Jackie Robinson (No. On-field excellence aside, his impact off the field for many people of Mexican and Latino heritage made Fernando so important. The screwball relies on movement and lots of feeling. Im open to the idea that baseball should be recognizing more of these cultural figures in the Hall of Fame, Jaffe says. Dodgers owner Walter OMalley was open about his desire to find a Mexican Sandy Koufax.. ( marks those who were newly eligible since 2001. I was assigned that number. Players you saw at the end of their careers who were surprisingly good - posted in Trivia, Questions, Advice: Im looking for guys who surprised you how good they were once you were old enough to go back and look at their numbers. All three were complete-game wins, including shutouts against the Padres and Astros. He was only 20 years old in 1981 when he won the NL Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year, 5th in MVP voting, Silver Slugger and went 13-8 while leading the NL in SHO (8), CG (11), IP (192.1) and K (180). But even Jaffe, a seasoned analyst who relies on hard numbers to make Hall of Fame cases, has a soft spot for Valenzuela. Kellogg's Corn Flakes put him on a box of cereal. His next shot at Cooperstown will come when the Modern Baseball Era Committee -- a group of 16 members made up of National Baseball Hall of Famers, executives and veteran media members -- meets in 2023 for induction in '24. How many strikeouts did Fernando Valenzuela have? Players eligible for the first time who were not included on the ballot were: Damon Berryhill, Mike Bielecki, Darnell Coles, Mariano Duncan, lvaro Espinoza, Greg Gagne, Mike Gallego, Rene Gonzales, Kevin Gross, Mark Gubicza, Ron Karkovice, Joe Orsulak, Jody Reed, Bruce Ruffin, Kevin Seitzer, Don Slaught, and John Smiley. Longtime Spanish-language broadcaster Jaime Jarrn has often talked of how OMalley wanted to find a Mexican Sandy Koufax to attract Los Angeles growing Mexican and Mexican American populations.

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