Photo: Wikimedia Commons

By KELIN DILLON

Famed Mexican baseball pitcher Fernando Valenzuela passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 63 years old.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) legend reportedly died two days after being admitted to a hospital after suffering from an illness for several years, the details of which have yet to be publicly disclosed.

Valenzuela, born in Etchohuaquila, Sonora, rose to fame in the early 1980s while playing as an integral Los Angeles Dodgers team member. His career was marked by numerous achievements, including winning the National League Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in 1981, and pitching a no-hitter in 1990.

Valenzuela’s unique pitching style not only made him a legend in the MLB but also created a cultural phenomenon known as ‘Fernandomania.’ This phenomenon, which was particularly strong within the Latino community, cemented his status as an icon both in and outside the United States.

Recognition of Valenzuela’s accomplishments in the world of professional baseball include his induction into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame, Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals, and the retirement of his number 34 jersey by the Dodgers in 2023.

Valenzuela’s passing comes just days before the Dodgers open the MLB World Series at home against the New York Yankees. His former team is expected to pay a heartfelt tribute to their now-departed icon during the series’ first game.