# RIP Fernando Valenzuela **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [October 23, 2024, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082 "2024-10-23T03:51:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/1 "2024-10-23T03:51:56Z")
[Just announced](https://abc7.com/post/los-angeles-dodgers-legendary-pitcher-fernando-valenzuela-dies-at-63/15386512/) by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fernandomania was such a fun and exciting time to be a Los Angeles Dodgers fans, and he helped to grow the fan base exponentially. And in his prime, he was a damn good pitcher, and not too shabby of a hitter. First player to win the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young in the same year. He threw his only no-hitter in 1990, his last year as a Dodger. Rest in Peace, Fernando. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/2 "2024-10-23T04:00:49Z")
Here’s a brief story on ESPN. Fernandomania was an amazing thing; he was an outstanding pitcher in his early years in the league, and he was fun to watch. As the OP notes, he was a pretty good hitter: he won two Silver Slugger awards, as the best hitter among pitchers in the NL. About 20 years ago, I was at a minor-league baseball game in Wisconsin, and looking at the lineup sheets in the program…Fernando’s son, Fernando Valenzuela Jr., was playing for the visiting team! > **[Dodgers legendary pitcher Valenzuela dies at 63](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41952316/dodgers-legendary-pitcher-fernando-valenzuela-dies-63)** > > Fernando Valenzuela, the impetus behind "Fernandomania" while starring for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1980s, has died at the age of 63. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/3 "2024-10-23T04:05:10Z")
He was the only non Hall of Famer to have his number retired by the Dodgers. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/4 "2024-10-23T05:15:15Z")
Sad news, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/5 "2024-10-23T13:57:34Z")
Sad to hear. I just vaguely remember him as a player. Over this summer, I read two books about the 1981 season. They Bled Blue and Split Season, I’d recommend both for a look back at Fernandomania ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/6 "2024-10-23T14:02:59Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > He was the only non Hall of Famer to have his number retired by the Dodgers. Also Jim Gilliam ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/7 "2024-10-23T16:38:23Z")
As a sports fan, I consider myself lucky to grow up in Los Angeles during the 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/8 "2024-10-23T17:14:00Z")
I used to love watching him pitch. What an arm! ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/9 "2024-10-23T17:56:48Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Also Jim Gilliam Damn, I should have known that. That’s what I get from trusting last night’s media reports, although I’m sure they were all scrambling to get the story out. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-fernando-valenzuela/1009082/10 "2024-10-23T19:32:37Z")
Regardless, Gilliam was posthumus. Fernando was honored when he was alive.