Your email address will not be published. Week Team League; 04/11/1981: Los Angeles Dodgers: NL: 09/05/1981: Los Angeles Dodgers His numbers were impressive to me, but he just didnt do it long enough and that was his only drawback as far as I was concerned.. The 2022 Seneca Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inductees: Tony DeRiggi '04. ', 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. 34 in 2019. Fernando Valenzuela became a star pitcher with the Dodgers in 1981, igniting Fernandomania and giving Mexican Americans a hero still revered today. The confidence that we had in him, along with what Tommy and the coaching staff had in him was very real and we just knew that, somehow, he was going to get it done.. Eliminated from annual BBWAA consideration by poor performance or expiration on this ballot. When he pitched, attendance rose dramatically at home and away games. The only left-handed pitcher in the Hall of Fame with a WAR lower than Valenzuelas is Rube Marquard (32.5), who began pitching in 1908. By mid-May, he was 8-0 with an earned run average of 0.50. 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. There have been those who have thrown the screwball hard and those are the ones who have the arm troubles, Thorn says. Lalo and Mark Guerrero, father and son musicians, had a regional hit with their song, Fernando El ToroFernando The Bull. In 2019, Valenzuela joined Don Newcombe and Garvey in the inaugural class of the Legends of Dodger Baseball in recognition of their impact on the franchise on and off the field. I was assigned that number. But even he acknowledged he was elected in part because of Valenzuela. Im not going to speculate, but it is safe to say that he could have averaged 15 wins per season up until 1996, cementing his bid to the hall of fame. He was the Mexican who made it and was destroying all of the competition. He made everybody feel bigger and welcome. I really think theres a home for Fernando in the Hall," says the longtime sportswriter. Put Fernando in the hall of fame. Just 6.2% in 2003 and 3.8 in 2004. Your email address will not be published. Im not saying that they should not have been elected, but Im saying that if they are in,then Fernando should be in too. A total of 3272 individual votes were cast, an average of 6.60 per ballot. From purely a fan perspective I cannot think of a player since Jackie Robinson that has had a generational draw like Valenzuela. 1), manager Tommy Lasorda (No. Spencer, who grew up in Southern California, watched Valenzuela transform from a reserved young man to worldwide phenomenon. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. I said it from the beginning, and I believe it. And it turned out that this young rookie became arguably the key piece.. But he never matched the heights of his rookie season. the number of wins in the Hall of Fame vote still has a significant impact. Los Angeles was evolving when Fernandomania erupted in 1981. Lasorda, who could communicate effectively in Spanish with Latin American players after several seasons managing in the Dominican Winter League, visited the mound after Cerones homer with his pitcher on the ropes. Viva Fernandomania! What position did Fernando Valenzuela play? Lumbago wikipedia france. Hes a third generation Dodgers fan whose love for the team can be traced back to his Brooklyn-born grandfather. Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2003 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001. Its also an effective pitch, especially if its mixed in with a pitching repertoire like Valenzuelas. 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. 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. Art or Photo Credit: Tom Forget / MLB.com, Jesse Sanchez, Nathalie Alonso, David Venn. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! People have always been very patient with me, Valenzuela, 60, says in Spanish one recent morning from his home in Los Angeles. 39), Jackie Robinson (No. Years later, Lopez made his own statement with a No. Then again, the Dodgers are the same organization whose miscalculations resulted in a seven-year television blackout. 32), Roy Campanella (No. 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 . Results of the 2003 election by the BBWAA were announced on January 7. Valenzuela is not the first Mexican or Mexican-American big leaguer in baseball. "Unheard of," Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jerrin told the Times. Fernando Valenzuela became a fan favorite in Los Angelesand beyond. He won his first eight starts with seven complete games and five shutouts, on his way to Dodgers rookie Zach McKinstry, known as Z-Mac to teammates, hits a two-run home run and doubles in a run in a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals. I think the players were as caught up as anyone else., Decades later, Valenzuela said his 1981 success was simple. The screwball relies on movement and lots of feeling. The clubs history with Chavez Ravine, the land on which Dodger Stadium is built, is well-documented. If theres someone [else] that can wear it, thats no problem. (John Cordes / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library) Fernando Valenzuela is the only player ever so far to win a Cy Young Award and a Rookie of the Year Award in the same season. #ProspectHugger. He knew how to play the game. But its entertainment for the fans. Valenzuela won his sixth start with a nine-inning effort in Montreal, though he was denied a complete game when the contest went to a 10th inning. Fernandomania @ 40 is a multi-episode documentary series that examines star pitcher Fernando Valenzuelas impact on the Dodgers, Major League Baseball and the Latino community in Los Angeles 40 years ago. For some, his middling 173-153 won-loss record makes him an unworthy Hall of Fame candidate. 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. Wow-what horrid reasoning. Fernando Valenzuela deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Dodgers were down 2-0 after the first two games and he pitched a complete game to help the Dodgers win 5-4. "He was an extremely important person in the history of baseball.. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Watching the Dodgers is what helped my dad assimilate to American culture, while not losing his own. He worked 18 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer and four years at ESPN. From an on-field performance impact, his historic first 8 starts with 5 shutouts always comes up first. His next 18 pitches were strikes, Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia told the Times. Bobby Cox, Bud Selig,John Schuerholz, Bruce Sutter, Bill Mazeroski, and many others without the qualifications of Valenzuela are in the Hall of Fame. This story was originally published on April 16, 2021. He made five starts, two of which were games where the Dodgers faced elimination. He has not yet appeared in any of the special era ballots, but that is his best hope. He was also a six-time All Star (1981-1986) and third in the Cy Young voting in 1982 with 19 wins and second in 1986 when he led the league in wins with 21. I tell them, Look, for me, the affection and that the people recognize what I have accomplished is more important than being in a Hall of Fame. 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. On January 8, 2002, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) conducted their yearly ballot for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Its been a lot of years since someone has worn No. In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela won Game 3 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. Evidently the writers passed over one man selected by the Hall of Famers, for there were 26 players on the final ballot. Before refuting the premise by citing his career numbers or the brevity of his peak, consider this: Bud Selig, former Major League Baseball commissioner, is a Hall of Famer. There can be consequences to throwing that pitch over and over.. In that stretch, he struck out 68 and allowed four earned runs in 72 innings for a mind-boggling 0.50 ERA. Even his first relief appearances in 1980 are quite a memory. The program is trying to recapture its traditions while building new ones in the modern era. Morris was a marginal choice propelled by hype-though he won more games than any pitcher in the 1980s. I believe that the manager Tom Lasorda overused him with the excuse of Fernandomania frenzy of those days and that he was only thinking of making the Dodgers richer with the millions of fans that he brought to the park every time he pitched. 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. In addition to inspiring the multiple generations of Latin American players, Valenzuela created multiple generations of Mexican fans. Reflecting on his rookie season, Valenzuela spoke of the importance of the emergency start he made on opening day. He had a brief but eye-opening debut as a reliever (no earned runs in 17 2/3 innings) down the stretch in 80, but he was still just a 20-year-old kid. He cant walk five feet at Dodger Stadium without fans of all ages stopping him. 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? I cant remember one player who captured the fantasy of the fans and the media the way Fernando did. Phil Sheridan spent more than 30 years reporting and writing on sports for Philadelphia-area newspapers. Alexandre bernardo teixeira gomes cleveland. He further internationalized the player pool. But he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball for a 6-year span and a true Dodger legend. That support was always there. A lot of people appreciate what I tried to do and that is something Ill always remember. 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. Valenzuela, who had thrown batting practice at Dodger Stadium the day before, learned of his assignment less than 24 hours before first pitch. First of all, Valenzuela was on the HoF ballot for the first time in 2003 and fell off in 2004. He was 75. 34 to the list of 11 current . 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.
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