Fernando Valenzuela changing Dodger baseball
When Fernando Valenzuela made his opening day start on April 9, 1981 nobody would’ve guessed the impact he had not only on the Dodgers, but the people in Los Angeles.
Before ‘Fernandomania’ had happened, the Dodgers were not a favorite with the Mexican community.
When the team had moved from Brooklyn, the city had kicked out Mexican residents from their homes at Chavez Ravine to build Dodger stadium.
For awhile it had been white people going to the Dodger games as Mexican residents were boycotting the Dodgers as a way tell them it was wrong for what they had did.
Dodgers owners saw this and had decided to bring in a Mexican player to connect with their city since half of the population in Los Angeles is mainly Mexican/American families.
Scout Mike Brito went to search for their future star, as the team wanted a shortstop, but had not impressed Brito at all. Instead what caught his eye was a left- handed pitcher by the name of Fernando Valenzuela on the other team who was striking out everyone.
After Valenzuela made his impressive opening day start throwing a complete game shutout, he was instantly a fan favorite with the Dodger fans and the rest of the MLB.
Every time he kept winning fans were getting excited, and on his second home start, Latino fans had filled up the whole stadium holding Mexico flags, wearing his face on shirts, and shouting; Fernando! Fernando! Fernando!
It was then after ‘Fernandomania’ was born, everyone knew him not only in Los Angeles but everywhere he went to go play. If he would go make a start in a away teams ballpark, that stadium would be sold out.
Fernando had brought the Mexican community to the Dodgers, and has been the most recognized player to ever wear a Dodger uniform.
What he did for a city, nobody can ever replicate what he did during his days in Los Angeles to bring a whole community to cheer as one.
He had became a celebrity icon when he had first set step on the mound, and for the Mexican community it was making them happy to see someone like them in the national spotlight.
After everything that happened with the events that took place in Chavez Ravine, it was like a new start to have somebody from their cultural doing things you had only seen in movies.
Since then Fernando Valenzuela now is recognized pitcher on the Dodgers and is still a fan favorite.
