Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea (November 1, 1960 – October 22, 2024) was a Mexican-American professional baseball pitcher. Valenzuela played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, from 1980 to 1991 and 1993 to 1997. In 1981, Valenzuela became extremely popular and his popularity became known as "Fernandomania".^[1] He was honored into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Valenzuela was known for playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1980 to 1990. He later played for the California Angels in 1991 before retiring for two years. In 1993, Valenzuela started to play with the Baltimore Orioles. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals during 1994 to 1997.

In 2003, he returned to the Dodgers as a broadcaster. Valenzuela purchased the Mexican League team Tigres de Quintana Roo in 2017.^[2]

Valenzuela was born in Etchohuaquila, Sonora, Mexico. He became an United States citizen in 2015.^[3] In 1981, he married Linda Burgos.^[4] They had four children.^[5]

On October 1, 2024, it was reported that Valenzuela had been hospitalized for liver cancer-related treatment in Los Angeles, California.^[6][7] He died three weeks later while hospitalized on October 22 at the age of 63.^[8][1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Fernando Valenzuela, Mexican-born pitcher whose feats for Dodgers fueled 'Fernandomania,' dies at 63". Associated Press. 22 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
2. ↑ "Valenzuela to buy into Quintana Roo Tigres". MiLB.com.
3. ↑ Jill Painter Lopez (August 31, 2015). "Fernando Valenzuela Quietly Affirms His Status as a U.S. Citizen – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
4. ↑ Castro, Tony (July 8, 1985). "Something screwy going on here". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
5. ↑ Broadcasters Archived November 27, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
6. ↑ "Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela reportedly hospitalized". KNBC. October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
7. ↑ Nightengale, Bob. "Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela is gone. But 'Fernandomania' will live forever". USA Today. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
8. ↑ Guzman, Ed (October 22, 2024). "Dodgers star Fernando Valenzuela, who sparked Fernandomania, dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2024.