Mike Lucero López waits for Fernando “El Toro” Valenzuela’s coffin to be released outside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to say goodbye to the legendary Mexican Dodgers pitcher.
López has at least three tattoos related to the ninth Angelina and still gets emotional when he remembers watching Valenzuela throw his famous “screwball” on television when he was a child.
“In the first game in which he was the starting pitcher, he threw a complete game shutout,” López says with a smile. “It was really (amazing).”
This Wednesday, dozens of family members and fans attended the funeral mass of “Toro” Valenzuela to say goodbye and pay tribute to his great sporting and social contribution to the Latin community in the city.
He is survived by his wife, Linda; four children, Fernando Jr., Ricardo, Linda and María Fernanda; and seven grandchildren.
During the mass, the pitcher’s son, Fernando Valenzuela Jr., and former teammate, Mike Scioscia, shared a few words about the Mexican baseball player.
“Thank God in his last years of life, as a Dodger legend, they retired his number and finally the number 34 is not just a symbol for us,” said Valenzuela Jr. very excited.
One of the things that stood out about his father was his kindness and sympathy with all the people around him.
“If you asked him for an autograph he would give it to you and if you just greeted him and didn’t ask for anything he would give you his friendship,” shared Valenzuela Jr.
He ended by saying that he would like to be like his father in the way he treated the people around him and believes that everyone can see him as an example to follow.
For his part, Mike Scioscia opened his comments in Spanish where he introduced himself as “one of Fernando’s friends” before sharing more anecdotes in English.
“I can’t tell you how blessed we were to see him, a 20-year-old, grow and do things we had never seen in such a young pitcher,” Scioscia recalled. “Fernando was always humble in his victories and very kind in his defeats and I think his way of life was a true inspiration for us.”
The former Dodgers catcher added that Valenzuela had indescribable confidence and recognized that he was one of the best in the world, but he never talked about it.
In 1981, Valenzuela won the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards and it was the same year that “Fernandomania” made him one of the best-known and most appreciated players in Los Angeles.
They honor their idol
Anthony Mora arrived with his Valenzuela shirt at the Cathedral to honor his hero who has also been part of his family.
“As someone born and raised in East Los Angeles and a Hispanic American, I see myself in him,” Mora says. “It is a representation that, regardless of the language barrier or ethnicity, as long as you work hard, have the talent and the passion for it, you can succeed in this country.”
Although Mora never saw him play in his youth, he says he was lucky enough to see him pitch with his family one last time during a ceremony in his honor.
“When I got here, I felt devastated,” Mora confides. “I was almost on the verge of tears because it was like losing a family member and someone I admired.”
The Dodgers’ celebration after winning the World Series title coincided with Valenzuela’s birthday on November 1 and the team took the opportunity to honor his memory.
Additionally, two murals by Robert Vargas were unveiled this weekend in apartment buildings in the Boyle Heights community.
Beneath the works of art fans of “Toro” left candles, flowers and messages for him, reflecting the great connection the community still has with the legendary pitcher.