Few professional athletes transcend their sport like Fernando Valenzuela. The legendary pitcher, who died Tuesday at age 63, became a household name among even non-baseball fans in Los Angeles during his outstanding 1981 season.
On Wednesday, the Democratic nominee for President and sitting Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement on Twitter/X remembering Valenzuela’s legacy.
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“Fernando Valenzuela was a baseball legend who united a generation of Dodgers fans in collective joy, excitement, and awe. He inspired countless young baseball players — in America, Mexico, and across the world — to pursue their own greatness.
“As a player, broadcaster, and Angeleno, Fernando Valenzuela left an indelible mark on our nation. Doug (Emhoff, her husband) and I send our prayers to his wife, Linda, as well as their children and grandchildren.”
Fernando Valenzuela was a baseball legend who united a generation of Dodgers fans in collective joy, excitement, and awe. He inspired countless young baseball players — in America, Mexico, and across the world — to pursue their own greatness.
As a player, broadcaster, and…
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 24, 2024
A native of Mexico, Valenzuela burst into mainstream stardom as a 20-year-old pitcher with the Dodgers in 1981. He threw complete games in each of his first eight starts that season; five were shutouts.
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Valenzuela finished the season 13-7 with a league-leading 180 strikeouts in 192.1 innings, winning both the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 02: Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts presents U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris with a jersey as she and President Joe Biden host the 2020 World Series champions in the East Room of the White House on July 02, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win the championship series at the end of an abbreviated season due to the coronavirus. Harris issued a statement honoring the late Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
After 11 years (1980-90) electrifying the fan base in Los Angeles, Valenzuela went on to pitch for the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals from 1991-97.
Over 17 MLB seasons, Valenzuela went 173-153 with a 3.54 ERA. Although he never equaled his success as a rookie, Valenzuela made six All-Star teams with the Dodgers and collected a Gold Glove and two Silver Slugger Awards along the way.
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A member of the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum, and the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame, Valenzuela had been appearing on Dodgers Spanish-language broadcasts for the last 22 years.
Valenzuela continued to endear himself to Angelenos young and old by remaining a visible presence at Dodger Stadium and in the community.
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Last year, in celebration of Mexican American Heritage Night at Dodger Stadium, he helped Dodger players and staff package and distribute food for more than 400 predominately Mexican American families facing food insecurity in East Los Angeles.
On Oct. 2, the Dodgers announced Valenzuela was stepping away from his broadcasting duties to focus on his health. No cause of death has been announced.
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