⚾ A quarter-century after his retirement, Mexican pitching icon Fernando Valenzuela will have his jersey number retired by the Dodgers
, the Dodgers’ president and chief executive, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “The answer is, this year.”“It’s an amazing feeling,” Valenzuela told The Times. “I never thought it would happen. I thank the fans and the Dodgers for making it happen.”
Valenzuela only lasted two years on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot before being dropped for lack of votes, meaning he seemingly never had a chance to add his No. 34 to the list of 11 current retired numbers. “When we came here, we respected the history of the franchise, and that included respecting its policies,” said Kasten of Guggenheim’s purchase in 2012. “But every now and then we also sit down and review those policies … and after all of the public clamor for Fernando … that is the single reason that pushed this decision way over the edge … it’s about what this means to a great number of fans.
Fernando Valenzuela will be certified as the most popular Dodger player in Los Angeles franchise history. Beginning with that magical 1981 season, when a 20-year-old from Etchohuaquila, Sonora, Mexico became the only player to win the Cy Young and rookie of theyear awards in the same year, Valenzuela constructed an enduring bridge between the franchise and its diverse fans.For Mexicans and Mexican Americans during a time when Los Angeles was undergoing great ethnic upheaval, Valenzula became a source of pride.
Check out the backs of the uniform jerseys worn by fans. Even though many never saw him play, “VALENZUELA” is rivaled by only “KERSHAW” and “KOUFAX.”
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