S1: Welcome in San Diego. It's Jade Hindman. Today we look back on the baseball career of Fernando Valenzuela. This is KPBS Midday Edition. Connecting our communities through conversation. Though it's without the San Diego Padres , Major League Baseball's World Series is underway , and it features two legendary teams , the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. But for the Dodgers , the excitement of nearing baseball's pinnacle came with sad news. Last week , former star pitcher Fernando Valenzuela passed away at the age of 63. Fernando , as he was affectionately known , rose to baseball superstardom in the early 80s , playing for the Dodgers. In later years , he played for several MLB teams , including the San Diego Padres , but his legacy goes past the baseball diamond. He was influential in opening the game up to more Latino players and fans in both the U.S. and Mexico. Here to tell us more about who he was and his impact on baseball on both sides of the border is Eduardo Ortega. He's been the Spanish language radio announcer for the San Diego Padres for nearly 40 years. Eduardo , welcome back to Midday Edition. J.
S2: J. Thank you very much for having me. I'm very excited to be back in your show. And definitely exciting also to talk about this wonderful legend in the sports , but also in our community as Fernando Valenzuela was.
S1: Yeah , well , tell me. He first entered the major leagues in 1980 and became a sensation during the 81 season with the Dodgers.
S2: He was in the Double-A team of the Dodgers. San Antonio Missions now is the Double-A farm team of the Padres. Fernando was signed at 16 years old in Mexico in the summer league. Scouted by my burrito , the famous Cuban scout. It was another prospect when he signed , and it happens that Tommy Lasorda told him he will go to the mound to start Opening Day in the 1981. But when he made his major league debut , it was the previous year , 1980. September 15th is a coincidence , probably because it's a big holiday in Mexico as Independence Day on September 16th. So Fernando , it was one more Mexican. In the history of Major League Baseball. There's been around 150 total since 1930 , when the first Mexican player arrived to the majors. So Fernando , right away , when he made his major league debut , everybody pay attention. Back then , Mexico was a country of population around 70 million people. Right now is 130 minutes. So it was a different society , different time , different era. And it was very , very few Mexican players in the majors.
S1: So he was known for his pitches.
S2: First of all , he was a very quiet , shy young man. At the same time , he was creating this character for the public figure in sports because he was the real , actual representation of the Mexican sports , because his profile coming from a very small town in a rural area in Sonora , close to the city of Navajo , where he was born , the name is a la Sonora state , probably about a few hours from the border of Arizona and his special pitch was the screwball , his screwball. Became his number one weapon as a pitcher. So when he made his major league debut , it was in Atlanta against the Braves and September 15th , 1980 , as a reliever in the sixth inning. Right away. The next year , the very next season , 1981 , that's when Fernandomania took off. Developed great , great sensation in the for the Juan country , the whole country in Mexico. Pay attention every time he was on national TV. He was on the radio National following the Dodgers. And that's the way the Fernandomania became very popular in a country who loves baseball. And Fernando starts with a great , great beginning throwing aid , shutouts , complete games that we don't see anymore. Wow.
S1: Wow. And Fernando wasn't only known for his pitches , but also for the way he delivered them. Can you describe what that looked like ? Sure.
S2: His wind up was very unique and , uh , there were so many myths in in the media , in baseball , but also with the fans. And that was he became very famous , almost to be considered like a religious readers , which is not really because it was his own style. He always talk about it. I just focus on my next pitch and thinking to beat the batter at every single time. And when he started his delivery , he turned his eye to see heaven. If seems like he was going to be the pitch everywhere because not controlled. But he was a great , great style to throw the strikes. Mhm.
S3: Mhm.
S1: What's your favorite memory of him.
S2: 1981 as everybody knows , and it's well documented in the records of baseball in general. He's still the number one and the only in the history of baseball to win in the same season , the rookie of the year and the Cy Young Award winner pitcher. So he was also known as a very good batter , great hitter in amateur baseball even before he started professionally. He was a first baseman and learn and love to hit. When he retired , he had ten home runs in the majors , a record that then was passed by Giovanni Ghajar , the Mexican pitcher from the Milwaukee Brewers , and he ended with 12. But Fernando , my favorite memories is that third game of the 1981 World Series , when Fernando captivated the whole country because the Dodgers were playing the Yankees. And that's when Fernando owned the world in baseball , the way he performed in the in the biggest stage , which is the World Series , winning the game. Three , the Dodgers coming after losing the first two , they were in trouble. And Fernando the star straight when the Dodgers won the next four consecutive games to clinch the World Championship.
S1: This is KPBS Midday Edition. We're back after the break. You're listening to KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Jade Hindman. We pick up our conversation with Eduardo Ortega , the Spanish language radio announcer for the San Diego Padres , to look back at the career of Fernando Valenzuela. And tell me about Fernando. When you played in Mexico during winter. Sure.
S3: Sure.
S2: Fernando pitched really , really for many , many years. His last game was when he was 46 years old. In 2006 , my highlight calling Fernando Valenzuela's game with Mexicali Aguilar. It was when he had his son , Fernando Valenzuela junior playing first base for the first time ever. Fernando Junior was drafted as a first baseman by the San Diego Padres from UNLV , and he became a professional player. And Fernando , when he started a game , it was a Sunday in the afternoon and Fernando junior was playing first base Mexicali , which is south Calexico south of the border of Imperial Valley , and Fernando Valenzuela senior delivered the first pitch of the game and was ground out to the pitcher , throwing to first base to his son. And that's a memory that really has been with all the Mexican fans , because that was his last season and his son playing with him.
S1: Finally , reflecting back on Fernando's legacy.
S2: Fernando is up there with the biggest legends , not only in the world of sports , because he was loved by everybody , and his quality on the field as a professional ballplayer transcended on the all social levels in Mexico , all social circles. Everybody wants to know about Fernando and even people who don't follow baseball. They really know who Fernando was and he will be loved forever. Another good sign of this is how the Dodgers retire his uniform number when he left the Dodgers in 1990. 30 years ? Actually 33 , because he was in August of 2023. Last summer , last year when the dust retired , his number forever , the number 34 on the walls of Dodger Stadium. 33 years , nobody wore his uniform number as a respect of what Fernandomania means for the Dodgers community in L.A. , the impact and how he was the inspiration for a lot of the Hispanic , not only the Mexican in L.A. , which is the second city in the world Mexican population after Mexico City. But how he inspired. You know , the blue collar community , the hardworking people inspired on Fernando. That's why he was like a god every time he was in the entire city. Hmm.
S3: Hmm.
S1: What a legacy. I've been speaking with Eduardo Ortega , the Spanish language radio voice of the San Diego Padres. Eduardo , thank you so much for joining us.
S2: Oh , thank you. I really appreciate this opportunity to make a very good memories back. And for the legend who will be with us in the sport forever. Gracias.
S1: That's our show for today. I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose. Everyone.
