19 facts about the career of Tony Gwynn - MLB The ballot consisted of 33 players; 496 ballots were cast, with 372 votes required for election. The ballot consisted of 33 players; 496 ballots were cast, with 372 votes required for election. He changed our lives.. Reflecting on his rookie season, Valenzuela spoke of the importance of the emergency start he made on opening day. Fernando Valenzuela - Wikipedia 34 Dodgers jersey with LOPEZUELA stitched across the back of his shoulders when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Dodgers home game in 2012. Fernandomania flashbacks: How the Dodgers legend's rise to fame - ESPN After posting league-leading totals in starts, shutouts, innings pitched and strikeouts that would eventually earn him Cy Young and Rookie of the Year honors, Valenzuela continued to make his mark in the 1981 postseason. Mexican-Americans Lalo and Mark Guerrero, a father-and-son songwriting team, got into the act with tribute songs, Fernando, El Toro and Ol! This is sport, he told the Times in 2021. Loaiza never again repeated his Chicago success before retiring after the 2008 season. BREAKING: Hall of Fame pitcher Don - KTLA 5 Morning News - Facebook Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela delivers during a win over the Philadelphia Phillies on May 23, 1984. He's irreplaceable. He won the Rookie of the Year award and Cy Young award, given annually to the best pitcher in each league. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Hes a third generation Dodgers fan whose love for the team can be traced back to his Brooklyn-born grandfather. Fernando Valenzuela Stats, Fantasy & News. Today, their job is to focus on the reigning World Series champion Dodgers, but inevitably, the spotlight will center on one of the most celebrated moments in baseball history: the season when Valenzuela and his arm captivated the baseball world and recruited a new generation of fans. Fernandomania made it all the way to Cooperstown - Baseball Hall of Fame 12 1 minute read. Valenzuela's rise to major league prominence began in September 1980, when he was called up from the minor leagues by the Dodgers. In the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees, the Dodgers lost the first two games. If Selig hadnt supported the home run surge of the late 1990s by looking the other way when players started injecting themselves with steroids, who knows whether baseball would have ever recovered from its last work stoppage? Nowadays, Fernando is seen almost as a myth, because his playing career ended in the '90s before a lot of the current generation fans were even born, says Gustavo Arellano, a columnist covering Southern California for the Los Angeles Times. People in U.S. soccer circles have spent decades looking for a Mexican American star and the best they have come up with is, who, Herculez Gomez? Good pitcher and all that Fernando mania stuff but not HOF. Kelechi ndukwe asonye. A total of 3272 individual votes were cast, an average of 6.60 per ballot. Those candidates receiving less than 5% of the vote (25 votes) will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee. Some know me as the "sweater guy". That helps me get through all those innings. Sixty baseball writers selected from the nominees 25 players and 15 other contributors to appear on the ballots. I had a fastball and a curveball that was good but maybe, a screwball, a pitch that moved in the opposite direction of the curveball, could help, Valenzuela says. And then the next wave was Fernando, who captured the attention of the entire Hispanic world.. He expanded the games customer base. Italics mark those subsequently elected. 173153 and a 3.54 earned run averagethose are HOF numbers? This will be all age related. He knew how to play the game. He would have won over 25 wins every year with dodgers last 6 seasons for sure and 5 world series, He also won 21 games in 86 with a fifth place dodger team and was robbed of his second cy young awards given to Mike Scott of the Astros with only 16 wins big time robbery, I agree with the fact that he was overused. Fernando had three great years and hung around-not enough. In addition to inspiring the multiple generations of Latin American players, Valenzuela created multiple generations of Mexican fans. Seriously, if commissioners can receive baseballs highest honor for creating the stage on which todays players perform, a player should be able to too. It has sustained itself to the point where I really believe half the crowds at Dodger Stadium now are Latinos.. Lumbago wikipedia france. They know his pitching delivery, the World Series win, his big glasses and all that. 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. I've spent the past 20 years or so making strong arguments in favor of performance standards for the Hall of Fame and using advanced statistics to try to cut through some of the superficialities, and I think it's clear that when you when you look at Fernando Valenzuela, that he's one of numerous pitchers who fall into that What might have been territory, says Jay Jaffe, senior writer at FanGraphs and author of The Cooperstown Casebook: Who's in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Who Should Be In. He had a strong start to his career that was kind of done in by overwork and a leveling off performance-wise, and in that regard, it's hardly unique because we can talk about dozens of other Cy Young winners who never really got to that peak again.. Fernando.". Fernando Valenzuela, 80.6% (65.8%): Created tons of Dodgers fans, and with so many big names elected last year, was the first choice among players on a lot of ballots. Not mine as much as my Dad's. BREAKING: Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton, a stalwart of the Dodgers' rotation spanning an era from Sandy Koufax to Fernando Valenzuela, has died. In 10 games as a relief pitcher, he allowed zero earned runs. It led to a violent conflict between one family, the Archigas, and L.A. County Sheriffs in 1959. When you think of our particular history, which we are so proud of and talk about every day, you can't talk about it without mentioning Fernando's impact, Dodgers president Stan Kasten says. For his career, Valenzuela finished with a record of 173-153, a 41.5 career WAR, a 3.54 ERA, 2,930 innings pitched, 2,074 strikeouts and a 1.32 WHIP. Valenzuela was an All-Star in each of his first 6 seasons. One thing is certain: Valenzuela broke barriers. Numbers are there to be worn. He was a breath of fresh air as a youngster with a mans knowledge on how to play the game.. Seneca Valley, once Maryland's premier football program, tries to Through the 1986 season, he was 99-68 with a 2.94 earned-run average, 84 complete games and 24 shutouts. Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson threw a fadeaway in the early 1900s, and Carl Hubbell, who pitched for 16 seasons starting in 1928, threw a similar pitch. Fernando Valenzuela became a fan favorite in Los Angelesand beyond. ), Babe Adams Joe Adcock Dick Allen Johnny Allen Felipe Alou Bobby vila Sal Bando Dick Bartell Ginger Beaumont Glenn Beckert Wally Berger Bobby Bonds Ken Boyer Harry Brecheen Tommy Bridges Pete Browning Charlie Buffinton Lew Burdette George H. Burns George J. Burns Guy Bush Dolph Camilli Leo Crdenas Bob Caruthers George Case Norm Cash Phil Cavarretta Spud Chandler Ben Chapman Rocky Colavito Walker Cooper Wilbur Cooper Mort Cooper Doc Cramer Del Crandall Gavy Cravath Lave Cross Mike Cuellar Bill Dahlen Alvin Dark Jake Daubert Tommy Davis Willie Davis Paul Derringer Dom DiMaggio Patsy Donovan Jimmie Dykes Bob Elliott Del Ennis Carl Erskine Roy Face Wes Ferrell Freddie Fitzsimmons Curt Flood Bill Freehan Jim Fregosi Larry French Carl Furillo Mike Garcia Jim Gilliam Jack Glasscock Joe Gordon Charlie Grimm Dick Groat Heinie Groh Stan Hack Harvey Haddix Mel Harder Jeff Heath Tommy Henrich Babe Herman Pinky Higgins John Hiller Gil Hodges Ken Holtzman Willie Horton Elston Howard Frank Howard Dummy Hoy Larry Jackson Julin Javier Jackie Jensen Sam Jethroe Bob Johnson Davey Johnson Joe Judge Willie Kamm Ken Keltner Don Kessinger Johnny Kling Ted Kluszewski Ray Kremer Harvey Kuenn Joe Kuhel Vern Law Sam Leever Mickey Lolich Sherm Lollar Herman Long Ed Lopat Dolf Luque Sal Maglie Jim Maloney Firpo Marberry Marty Marion Roger Maris Mike G. Marshall Pepper Martin Carl Mays Tim McCarver Frank McCormick Lindy McDaniel Gil McDougald Sam McDowell Stuffy McInnis Denny McLain Roy McMillan Dave McNally Andy Messersmith Bob Meusel Irish Meusel Bing Miller Stu Miller Minnie Mioso Terry Moore Tony Mullane Thurman Munson Johnny Murphy Buddy Myer Art Nehf Don Newcombe Bobo Newsom Lefty O'Doul Tony Oliva Claude Osteen Milt Pappas Mel Parnell Camilo Pascual Ron Perranoski Jim Perry Johnny Pesky Rico Petrocelli Deacon Phillippe Billy Pierce Vada Pinson Wally Pipp Johnny Podres Boog Powell Jack Quinn Vic Raschi Ed Reulbach Allie Reynolds J. The screwball that swept side to side out of the strike one was best against free swingers. The new committee would comprise all living members of the Hall of Fame, recipients of the Spink Award (broadcasters), recipients of the Frick Award (writers), and members of the old committee until expiration of their terms. They also know his voice in Southern California because he broadcasts Dodgers games in Spanish. Opening day of 1981 launched "Fernandomania," a phenomenon in Los Angeles and then the nation named after the Mexican-born pitcher. Im not saying that they should not have been elected, but Im saying that if they are in,then Fernando should be in too. In his 1986 All-Star appearance, he tied Carl Hubbell by striking out 5 in a row. The numbers, however, speak for themselves: He began the 1981 season with eight straight wins, seven complete games and five shutouts. For me, it was about what you did for the game and how you impacted the sport. No Dodgers player has worn Valenzuelas jersey No. Why Fernando Valenzuela should be in Baseball Hall of Fame - Los S. First, the veterans committee will not vote him in, because his screwball embarrassed them for six seasons. Valenzuela Gets Young Award - The New York Times They didnt have to wait long. This story was originally published on April 16, 2021. Houston had eliminated the Dodgers in a one-game tiebreaker the year before to claim the National League West title. His next shot at Cooperstown will come when the Modern Baseball Era Committee -- a group of 16 members made up of National Baseball Hall of Famers, executives and veteran media members -- meets in 2023 for induction in '24. Didnt . Put Fernando in the hall of fame. I was assigned that number, but I really dont know whats going to happen. Valenzuela wasnt the first to throw the screwball. The Dodgers won the next three contests to clinch the World Series title in six games. 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. Your email address will not be published. Hernandez grew up in South Pasadena and graduated from UCLA in 2002, after which he worked at the San Jose Mercury News for five years. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda started Valenzuela, awakening him from a slumber to give him the news. The thing that I remember the most on those games that Fernando Valenzuela pitched, he threw the minimum of 120 to 140 pitches and he had several complete games every year. But Fernando at age 20 did not say he was going to redeem the past sins of civic Los Angeles, real estate developers, the Red Scare, progressive activists and racism. High pitch counts in an era when nobody cared about pitch counts, six straight seasons of 250 or more innings pitched when that type of workload was the norm, and the stress placed on his shoulder by repeatedly throwing his screwball shortened Valenzuelas career and ultimately thwarted his Hall of Fame candidacy. The next season, when he was only 20, Valenzuela energized fans in Los Angeles, Mexico and throughout the big leagues with one of the more remarkable seasons in baseball history. Many of the families impacted still refuse to go to Dodger Stadium. This articleby Jos M. Alamillo tells his amazing story of how Fernando impacted him. Is Fernando Valenzuela in the Hall of Fame? Only three players led by Gil Hodges (61%) tallied more than fifty percent support. The Dodgers won the title in seven games. The Dodgers won the next three games to claim their first championship since 1965, when Koufax was their best pitcher. The two of them are worthy candidates for the Hall of Fame if you do not use merely the stat lines as your criteria. Now, more than 40% of the teams fans are Latino. I remember how his rivals laughed at his delivery and his weight. Kellogg's Corn Flakes put him on a box of cereal. Fernando Valenzuela | Biography, Stats, & Facts | Britannica Arellano, who grew up in Southern California, was a toddler during the summer of Fernandomania. It is too bad that his arm injury ruined what was a sure-fire Hall of Fame career in 1986. Young won 511 games between 1890 and 1911 and was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1937. Years ago, Mexican-born Julio Uras was asked whether his father ever told him stories about Valenzuela. 1981-04-09 LA Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela's 1st start, beats Astros 2-0; 1981-04-22 Dodgers rookie Fernando Valenzuela tosses his 3rd shutout in 4 starts; 1981-09-17 Fernando Valenzuela sets NL rookie record with 8th shutout of season; 1981-11-11 LA Dodgers starter Fernando Valenzuela becomes first MLB rookie to win a Cy Young Award; Milwaukee Brewers' Rollie Fingers takes . Valenzuela deserves a place alongside him. Loaiza won 21 games to match Fernando Valenzuela's single-season record for a Mexican-born pitcher and finished as the runner-up in Cy Young Award voting. Forty years later, he still has the memento. Fernando Valenzuela (Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher) Among 85 eligible voters, 79 cast ballots so 60 votes were the minimum to elect a candidate. This guy had some unbelievable talent, but for me, the key to Fernando was that he just wanted to be treated like the 24 other players and not get any special treatment. They also obscured a more egregious omission. 2003 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting - Wikipedia Hall of Fame / Overview - Seneca Valley School District He also appeared on the covers of The Sporting News, Sport Magazine, Baseball Digest and countless other publications. 34 to the list of 11 current . As an encore, the 20-year-old from rural Mexico helped pitch the Dodgers to their first World Series title in a generation. You could see how genuine and humble he was through it all and that also resonated with people.. We have had so many great players that if we tried to retire everyone's number who would qualify, then we would be in triple digits on our uniforms now, Kasten says. "Unheard of," Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jerrin told the Times. By then, Fernandomania was in full swing. OMalley once wished out loud for a Mexican Sandy Koufax, a pitcher who could capture fans imaginations the way the Hall of Famer had. It would be really great if they remembered me as someone who always tried his best to always give them a good show, so that they could have fun with this beautiful game.. By comparison, Koufaxs peak seven-year WAR was 46. When manager Tommy Lasorda handed Valenzuela the ball after scheduled starter Jerry Reuss was scratched with a calf injury, it became the first time that a rookie started on Opening Day in Dodgers history. In 1981, an 11-year-old Jaffe used to cut Valenzuelas box scores out of his local Salt Lake City newspaper and paste them into a scrapbook. In that stretch, he struck out 68 and allowed four earned runs in 72 innings for a mind-boggling 0.50 ERA. Valenzuela should be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. It was really important for me because things went well, Valenzuela says. In 1981, Fernandomania was born. Wow-what horrid reasoning. He worked 18 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer and four years at ESPN. Fernandos peak from late 1980-1986 was filled with high performance, and historic impact on the game. Fernando Valenzuela went on to pitch 11 years for the Dodgers (1980-1990). Valenzuela would have to be chosen by the Todays Game Committee, which will hold its next election in 2022. He could hit, he could bunt, field his position. Thanks in advance. I really think theres a home for Fernando in the Hall," says the longtime sportswriter. 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. Which isnt to say Selig isnt deserving. He made five starts, two of which were games where the Dodgers faced elimination. Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, 1974 Dodgers Cy Young winner Mike Marshall and Mets and Phillies icon Tug McGraw also threw screwballs. His teammates were so captivated, says Littwin, who wrote many Valenzuela-related stories in 1981. It seemed like there was nothing he couldnt do. My hope is that the media and the people in charge of the Veterans Committee would re-consider what Fernando Valenzuela did; first as a great player and then as an impact on the fans of baseball. Nathalie Alonso is part of the editorial team of LasMayores.com, MLBs official Spanish-language website. In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela woke up from a nap and began pitching, and winning, sparking the phenomenon known as Fernandomania and almost singlehandedly repairing a fractured relationship between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the city's Mexican American community. 4), Don Sutton (No. It wasnt a dream come true because nobody could have dreamed it.. Position: Starting Pitcher. #Retire34, Tim Rogers 2080 ? As the legend goes, Lasorda told Valenzuela in his native language that if he didnt give up any more runs, the Dodgers would win the game, and that Fernando, who was rarely heard speaking English at that time, answered, Are you sure?, I really dont remember, but I think that yes, it was something like that, Valenzuela says. Many of these residents were Mexican Americans, who became embittered and remained cool to the Dodgers for decades afterward. All fathers wanted their sons to be the next Fernando Valenzuela, and all of us kids would imitate his delivery, looking up to the sky, hands up in the air high and everything. Why on earth include Bud Selig and Bobby Cox? He led the MCL with 91 strikeouts. He could hit, he could bunt, field his position. Valenzuela should be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Valenzuela had a strong 6 years plus had a huge impact, Tim Rogers 2080 ? Jarrn said his favorite memory of the 1981 season was of the time he accompanied Valenzuela to a luncheon at the White House that was staged in honor of then-Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo. In addition to calling games, Jarrn served as Valenzuelas interpreter at news conferences, which gained him exposure in other markets and, by extension, the electorate of the Hall of Fames Ford C. Frick Award. Fernando Valenzuela had 2,074 strikeouts over his career. But its entertainment for the fans. 34. Fernando was the cover boy on the May 18, 1981, edition of Sports Illustrated, with "UNREAL!" He was one of us, and we wanted to be like him.. His first taste of Fernandomania came on April 27, 1981, when he watched from the left field bleachers as Valenzuela threw a seven-hit shutout and notched three hits in a 5-0 victory against the Giants. NEW YORK -- Eddie Murray, Lee Smith, Ryne Sandberg and Fernando Valenzuela are among 17 players on baseball's Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. Im someone who is very reserved, Valenzuela says. Sheriffs deputies literally dragged Mexican Americans out of their Chavez Ravine homes to clear the land on which Dodger Stadium was later built. The Mexican-American community has always been large in Los Angeles, but it was not attached to the Dodgers when they were imported from Brooklyn. He cant walk five feet at Dodger Stadium without fans of all ages stopping him. "He meant everything to a community that was thirsting for a hero, Arellano says. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) held an election to select from among recent players; Gary Carter and Eddie Murray were elected. I said it from the beginning, and I believe it. His family lived on a dirt road that was filled with potholes, he says. Large homemade 'Viva Fernando' signs in the bleachers were all the rage. The Veterans Committee held elections both for players who were active no later than 1981 and for non-players (managers, umpires and executives), but did not select anyone. Dylan Hernndez is a sports columnist with the Los Angeles Times. You can try refreshing the page, and if you're still having problems, just try again later. The 2022 Seneca Valley Sports Hall of Fame Inductees: Tony DeRiggi '04. Decades before he starred on screens and on stages across the globe, comedian George Lopez was a young Dodgers fan. Fernando Valenzuela - Baseball Fever Dodgers Way Top Ten Dodgers of All-Time: Number Six There are endless stories of Latino Dodgers fans that talk about how Fernando brought either their parents or grandparents into the Dodgers fandom, and now that fandom continues. 34 from their jersey rotation. The two candidates who received at least 75% of the vote and were elected are indicated in bold italics; candidates who have since been selected in subsequent elections are indicated in italics. My dad couldn wait to watch Los Doyers and I could not wait to watch the game with him regardless of who was playing for the Dodgers all because of Fernando Valenzuela. The pitch has always been about risk-reward with higher on the risk, but Fernando knew exactly what he was doing with it. There are countless Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles and across the country with stories like Lopezs. Mexican-Americans Lalo and Mark Guerrero, a father-and-son songwriting team, got into the act with tribute songs, "Fernando, El Toro" and "Ol! 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. His importance to the Dodgers, in particular, was critical to the point that former owner Walter OMalley imagined him before he existed. No game was more memorable than Game 3 of the World Series against the Yankees at Dodger Stadium. How many strikeouts did Fernando Valenzuela have? Why do they keep ignoring the fact that he was one of th e best? Valenzuela falls short in all three of Bill James tests making it only halfway in the most accurate predictor getting 25 of the 50 that indicates a HOF election..and then there is abysmal showing in the actual voting. Fernando Valenzuela Position Pitcher Years 1980-1997 Hall Rating 74 Next Ballot Fernando Valenzuela is next eligible for the Hall of Fame via the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in 2023 . He made being a lefthander cool, says Gustavo Arellano, a Los Angeles Times columnist of Mexican heritage. After Fernando, fathers were trying to make their kids into lefthanders even if they were righthanders., READ MORE: Latino, Hispanic, Latinx, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms. After struggling with injuries he came back and threw his only no-hitter in 1990. He was unbelievable with the lasso, says former Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia, Valenzuelas batterymate. Manny Mota joins Dodger 'legends' - Daily News 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. That list starts with Jackie Robinson for African Americans, and it also includes Hideo Nomo and Ichiro for the Japanese, Chan Ho Park for Koreans, Tony Lazzeri for Italian-Americans and Al Simmons (Szymanski) for Polish-Americans. 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.. Although it was not an elimination game, it was definitely a must-win situation. Thats just a ridiculous responsibility to assign to him, and its much more complicated than that.. 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. But he never matched the heights of his rookie season. Dodgers: The Hall of Fame Case for Fernando Valenzuela . Nonetheless, Jarrn said, logically, the talent would have emerged sooner or later.. Valenzuela was the first pitcher to accomplish both feats in the same season. (Lou Sauritch/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) Within a few short weeks, Fernandomania was sweeping the nation. Theres Pee Wee Reese (No. Note: With the Mexico Series taking place this weekend (April 29 and 30) between the Padres and Giants, we wanted to highlight some of the great Mexican players and stories from baseball's past. Fernando Valenzuela has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. A few families held out and refused to leave their homes, even after the city sold the land to O'Malley for the stadium. But they could not have been sweeter. Fernando Valenzuela: 31: 6.25: Keith Hernandez: 30 . Before that, he was the Dodgers beat writer. Before refuting the premise by citing his career numbers or the brevity of his peak, consider this: Bud Selig,. The mission of the Seneca Valley School District Sports Hall of Fame is to recognize the outstanding athletic contributions of Seneca Valley Alumni in their respective athletic endeavors and to promote pride in the athletic heritage of the Seneca Valley community as a whole. Those candidates receiving less than 5% of the vote (25 votes) will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee. Bob Uecker received the Ford C. Frick Award honoring a baseball broadcaster. Instead Fernando went the whole way (he probably threw more than 140 pitches) and helped get the Dodgers on the path to winning the 1981 World Series. It was a cultural phenomenon that galvanized a minority community. The Dodgers added Spanish-speaking ushers. ', 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. Los Angeles was evolving when Fernandomania erupted in 1981. A total of 3272 individual votes were cast, an average of 6.60 per ballot. Rick Circleliff (1979/1984) - NL 5. Four decades later, the ordinary-looking man with extraordinary talent remains a cultural hero, a baseball legend and a mythical figure because of his feats on the field, and his humble nature off of it. 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.
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