fernando valenzuela hall of fame voting

He was also very playful when he got comfortable.. A few families held out and refused to leave their homes, even after the city sold the land to O'Malley for the stadium. Valenzuela also was unflappable, a rarity for a player so young. 2002 Baseball Hall of Fame Voting Results. One of the biggest problems is that the East Coast heavy media personnel have forgotten about the impact he had and his greatness. But the team alienated the city's large Hispanic population from the start. He could do everything on a baseball field but run, former teammate and current Astros manager Dusty Baker says. Before refuting the premise by citing his career numbers or the brevity of his peak, consider this: Bud Selig, former Major League Baseball commissioner, is a Hall of Famer. It has sustained itself to the point where I really believe half the crowds at Dodger Stadium now are Latinos.. They would vote by mail using "ballots and supporting material -- prepared by the Hall of Fame". Fernando Valenzuela played 17 seasons. Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2003_Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_balloting&oldid=1146471837, Articles needing additional references from January 2021, All articles needing additional references, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Hall of Fame member elected on this ballot (named in, Hall of Fame member elected subsequently to 2023 (named in. Fernandomania wasnt just about baseball. The confidence that we had in him, along with what Tommy and the coaching staff had in him was very real and we just knew that, somehow, he was going to get it done.. He could do everything on a baseball field but run. 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. (In the event, the system was reformed again after the third fruitless election for players and the second for other contributors in February 2007.). 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. His importance to the Dodgers, in particular, was critical to the point that former owner Walter OMalley imagined him before he existed. Valenzuela actually threw three screwballs, and he threw each of them depending on the situation. But even he acknowledged he was elected in part because of Valenzuela. Rick Circleliff (1979/1984) - NL 5. Los Angeles was evolving when Fernandomania erupted in 1981. 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. Fernando Valenzuela went on to pitch 11 years for the Dodgers (1980-1990). The fact that he was Mexican and that he was so good, and so humble while on such an incredible run was inspiring, Lopez says. Evidently the writers passed over one man selected by the Hall of Famers, for there were 26 players on the final ballot. After being staked to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Valenzuela gave up four runs in the next two frames, including a solo home run by Bob Watson and a two-run shot by Rick Cerone in the top of the third that gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead. His favorite venue was Dodger Stadium and the nights Valenzuela pitched were magical. The Alamillo article pointed to another article that states that of the 3.9 million fans in attendance in 2015, 2.1 million were Latino. People have always been very patient with me, Valenzuela, 60, says in Spanish one recent morning from his home in Los Angeles. Came from Mexico in the late 70's, and Fernando made him a baseball fan. This will be all age related. Thats why for me, that game at the start of the season was really important for my career.. In his 1986 All-Star appearance, he tied Carl Hubbell by striking out 5 in a row. Leading up to the celebration Sunday of Valenzuelas landmark rookie season, there were renewed pleas for the franchise to make an exception to its arbitrary policy of retiring only the numbers of Hall of Famers. ', 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. Valenzuela had a solid career, finishing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997. His biggest accomplishment was how he took baseball by storm in a time where the dodger organization was rejected by the Latino community in regards to Chvez ravine. 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. Lumbago wikipedia france. I always say, maybe if things hadnt gone so well, we dont know if I would have had more chances. Bobby Cox, Bud Selig,John Schuerholz, Bruce Sutter, Bill Mazeroski, and many others without the qualifications of Valenzuela are in the Hall of Fame. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller, Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, School is in session as Sparks begin training camp. Dodgers rookie Zach McKinstry, known as Z-Mac to teammates, hits a two-run home run and doubles in a run in a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals. Back then, the pair emerged as dominant Latino figures in the sport with Jarrn narrating Valenzuelas achievements to Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S., Latin America and beyond. Historical Events. 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.. She made that.. He led the MCL with 91 strikeouts. And ever since his induction into the Hall of Fame, his 1981 Donruss rookie card has enjoyed a nice bump in value. It is too bad that his arm injury ruined what was a sure-fire Hall of Fame career in 1986. The only left-handed pitcher in the Hall of Fame with a WAR lower than Valenzuelas is Rube Marquard (32.5), who began pitching in 1908. By comparison, Koufaxs peak seven-year WAR was 46. In the early '80s, theres still this huge migration wave from Mexico that brought up my parents, brought up all of my friends and the parents of my friends, Arellano says. The newly eligible candidates included 22 All-Stars, five of whom were not on the ballot, who were selected a total of 68 times. In fact, at this point, it is premature and meaningless to discuss the induction of a nine-year-old pitcher into the Hall of Fame. All 10-year members of the BBWAA were eligible to vote. Mundo 7 Latinos who belong in baseball s Hall of Fame Among Latino fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Fernando Valenzuela is a baseball immortal. Weak case, asburd argument. He changed our lives.. I was assigned that number. He struggled at the beginning and Tommy Lasorda was almost ready to bring in Dave Goltz early, which would have probably put the Dodgers down 3-0 and history would be different. From 1987-97, his statistics would say no: 74-85 with a 4.23 ERA. Yes, I totally agree that Fernando Valenzuela should be in the HALL OF FAME 100 percent. The last played in the majors during 1980 or 1981. Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2003 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001. The audience that was won over by Valenzuela remains. He earned Mexicos Premio Nacional del Deporte, the countrys highest sports honor, last November. In 1981, Fernandomania was born. The feeling was that this team was starting to run out of time to accomplish winning a world championship, said first baseman Steve Garvey, who played for the Dodgers from 1969 through 1982. Back at sold-out Dodger Stadium, fans bought T-shirts with Valenzuelas name on the back, made their own or bought bootleg versions available all over the city. La Opinin. This page was last edited on 25 March 2023, at 02:41. To his point: The Dodgers have fielded some bad teams over the last 20 seasons and all but one of them finished the season with an annual home attendance of more than 3 million fans. Jarrn has often remarked on their loyalty. He finished top-3 in Cy Young voting two more times before fizzling out in 1990. Among 85 eligible voters, 79 cast ballots so 60 votes were the minimum to elect a candidate. Twenty years old!! He is in the most important HOF- my heart and mind. Valenzuela had a career record of 173 wins and 153 losses. You can make a case that there are a handful of modern pioneers that have helped open the door for baseball in a lot of different ways and should be full members of the Hall of Fame.. In that stretch, he struck out 68 and allowed four earned runs in 72 innings for a mind-boggling 0.50 ERA. The comedian still chuckles when he recalls an unscheduled mound visit and the cheers it elicited to the sold-out stadium. For me, it was about what you did for the game and how you impacted the sport. And it turned out that this young rookie became arguably the key piece.. Valenzuela was an All-Star in each of his first 6 seasons. Valenzuela made the Dodgers the team of a community that once viewed the franchise with suspicion. He not only perfected it, he developed three different versions of the mystical pitch, which often baffled big-league batters because few pitchers used it. Its also an effective pitch, especially if its mixed in with a pitching repertoire like Valenzuelas. Mexican-Americans Lalo and Mark Guerrero, a father-and-son songwriting team, got into the act with tribute songs, Fernando, El Toro and Ol! Future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson had already thrown one no-hitter during the 1990 season when he combined with Chuck Finley to throw another one in Japan. Valenzuela was an All-Star in each of his first 6 seasons. But its entertainment for the fans. Valenzuela was the first pitcher to accomplish both feats in the same season. 34. There were these growing pains in Southern California, which was a dominant white culture, because people were saying, 'OK, this is going to be a Mexican culture in the next couple of decades, so what are we going to do with it? 1), manager Tommy Lasorda (No. 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. But he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball for a 6-year span and a true Dodger legend. This articleby Jos M. Alamillo tells his amazing story of how Fernando impacted him. It makes total sense to the Dodgers fans.. Fernando Valenzuela was a 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. In my opinion only roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson had a bigger impact not just in baseball , but in all of sports . No ifs or butts about it!!! They went to the stadium to see him.. Young won 511 games between 1890 and 1911 and was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1937. If things had turned out differently, if I didnt do my job, we dont know if there would have been more opportunities, no? Valenzuela said. A lot of people appreciate what I tried to do and that is something Ill always remember. Since when? I wore it like any other number. No game was more memorable than Game 3 of the World Series against the Yankees at Dodger Stadium. Less than a year later, Valenzuela made his big league debut. Todays Fernando is a fun-loving grandfather with a dry sense of humor and perfect comedic timing. Im open to the idea that baseball should be recognizing more of these cultural figures in the Hall of Fame, Jaffe says. 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 . Fernando Valenzuela had 2,074 strikeouts over his career. They are ethnic heroes. He won the Rookie of the Year award and Cy Young award, given annually to the best pitcher in each league. The screwball that dropped straight down in the strike zone was best against the most disciplined hitters. There are certain guys who, for me, impacted the game way beyond any kind of statistical analysis or the standard criteria that most voters use. 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. My slider wasnt very good. He placed in the top 5 in Cy Young voting 4 times in. The Dodgers Spanish-language voice since 1959, Jarrn is without question worthy of his place in the broadcasters wing of the Hall of Fame. It worked for the left-handed-throwing Valenzuela, because the pitch broke toward left-handed hitters and away from righties when traditional breaking pitches do the opposite. On opening day on April 8, 1981, scheduled starting pitcher Jerry Reuss suffered an injury while warming up. Nonetheless, Jarrn said, logically, the talent would have emerged sooner or later.. Eliminated from annual BBWAA consideration by poor performance or expiration on this ballot. I think after that, there were more opportunities. 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. That helped me a lot in my career.. Ive always been asked what the situation is, with Cooperstown and all that, Valenzuela says. Valenzuela had a strong 6 years plus had a huge impact, Tim Rogers 2080 ? Seriously, if commissioners can receive baseballs highest honor for creating the stage on which todays players perform, a player should be able to too. They want to play for the Dodgers, they root for the Dodgers and the Dodgers are winning because of a Mexican. Im not saying Fernando cured all the racism in Southern California, but he was definitely a bridge to let people know that we are OK., The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn after the 1957 season and played their first four seasons in Los Angeles at Memorial Coliseum. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda started Valenzuela, awakening him from a slumber to give him the news. Reflecting on his rookie season, Valenzuela spoke of the importance of the emergency start he made on opening day. He was stellar in the 1981 playoffs including his World Series game 3 start. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Doug McKain 06/30/2021. You could see how genuine and humble he was through it all and that also resonated with people.. Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela delivers during a win over the Philadelphia Phillies on May 23, 1984. I was assigned that number, but I really dont know whats going to happen. He's irreplaceable. Why on earth include Bud Selig and Bobby Cox? Wow-what horrid reasoning. All Rights Reserved. Overuse, along with throwing a screwball, were probably the main culprits of his shortened career. Valenzuela wasnt the first to throw the screwball. Spencer, who grew up in Southern California, watched Valenzuela transform from a reserved young man to worldwide phenomenon. When I began covering the Dodgers in the '70s, I would estimate that maybe 10% of the crowd would be Latino, says Spencer, whose 47-year career included stops in California, Colorado, New York, Texas and with MLB.com. We're doing our best to get things working smoothly! 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. 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. Valenzuela is a member of the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame, Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame and the California Sports Hall of Fame. Dodgers News: Julio Urias Talks About His Fandom of Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers News: Julio Urias Feeds Off the Energy of the Crowd at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers News: Fernando Valenzuela Earns a Very Special Award at Dodger Stadium, The easy calls with great players like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, The players that accumulate stats over long careers, but may never be considered the best of their generation, much like Don Sutton or Bert Blyleven, Players popular with fans and media, like a Phil Rizzuto. He is part of a group of players once considered outsiders and that changed the games landscape upon their entry. the number of wins in the Hall of Fame vote still has a significant impact. We won. As promised, I will attempt to make the Hall of Fame (HoF)case for former Dodgers starFernando Valenzuela. 42) and Don Drysdale (No. During his six-year peak run from 1981-86, he sported a 2.97 ERA in 1,537 innings with 84 complete games and 26 shutouts. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Each of the Dodgers retired numbers was worn by a player who played a majority of his career with the club and was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I will be comparing him to some other Hall of Famers; and as someone who is a big hall person, I feel I can make the case. Lasorda, who could communicate effectively in Spanish with Latin American players after several seasons managing in the Dominican Winter League, visited the mound after Cerones homer with his pitcher on the ropes. If #34 impacted you or your family in regards to your fandom, please respond.