Fernando Valenzuela On Friday he would have turned 64 years old.
The left-handed pitcher who caused “Fernandomania” and helped the Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees in the 1981 World Series He died on October 22. Eight days later, 2024 The Dodgers won another World Series title by beating the Yankees. He team victory parade It was also Friday in downtown Los Angeles, followed by a celebration at Dodger Stadium.
Valenzuela is not in the Hall of Fame, but he is a Dodger legend. Coming from a small town in Mexico, Valenzuela helped expand the Dodgers’ fan base to include a large part of The Latino population of Los Angeles decades after many members of that community were Forced to leave their homes in Chávez Ravine. to clear the way to Dodger Stadium.
There is no statue in honor of Valenzuela in the stadium. Only two Dodger greats have received that honor: Jackie Robinson in 2017 and Sandy Koufax in 2022.
Read more: Plaschke: Fernando Valenzuela was the man who connected Los Angeles with the Dodgers
a group of dodgers fans He thinks it’s time for that to change. A change.org petition asking for a statue of Valenzuela that will be built in the stadium began two days after the Death of former Cy Young winner. As of Friday morning, it had received more than 900 signatures.
“Fernando, popularly known as”The Bull“He is not just a player; he is a symbol of resilience, dedication and passion for many like me who grew up revering him,” wrote Héctor González, who started the petition. “He created a sense of invincibility around him, being a symbol of hope for fans, especially the Hispanic community in Los Angeles.”
González added: “The addition of a statue to Fernando Valenzuela It would further encapsulate the respect the organization shows for its influential players and highlight the importance of the Dodgers’ rich cultural and sporting heritage. Furthermore, it would act as a celebration not only of Fernando’s influence on baseball, but also his contribution to forging cultural ties through sport.”
He Dodgers declined to comment for this article.
He The team officially retired Valenzuela’s number 34 jersey. in 2023, although no Los Angeles player had been assigned that number since Valenzuela was released in March 1991. It was the first time the Dodgers retired the number of a non-Hall of Fame player.
during his World Series run this yearhe The Dodgers honored Valenzuela by wearing patches that read “Fernando”, with his number 34 underneath on their jerseys and painting his number on the pitcher’s mound at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers Manager David Roberts He gave Valenzuela special recognition during Friday’s demonstration.
“Happy birthday, Fernando!” -Roberts shouted-. “This one is for you too!”
Read more: In Fernando Valenzuela’s hometown, mourning and memories of how ‘El Zurdo’ began
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This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.