Considered one of the greatest pitchers in Dodgers history, Fernando Valenzuela’s impact stretched beyond a World Series title and his accomplishments on the mound.
Valenzuela’s meteoric rise with the Dodgers in 1981 ignited “Fernandomania”, creating a bond between the Dodgers and Latino fans that continues to run strong more than four decades after his major-league debut.
Valenzuela played 11 seasons with the Dodgers, winning a World Series title with the team in 1981. He also threw a no-hitter with the Dodgers in June 1990.
After leaving the Dodgers in 1991, he played for the Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals before retiring in 1997. He returned to the Dodgers in 2003, joining Jaime Jarrin in the team’s Spanish-language radio broadcast booth.
Take a look back at the life and career of the legendary Dodgers pitcher and radio broadcaster, who died at 63 on Tuesday:
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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