While we mourn the suspension of baseball, it’s also a time of celebration for Dodgers fans. If you were around to see Fernando Valenzuela pitch in the 1980s, you know that it was a very special time in Los Angeles. Valenzuela kicked off a historic campaign in 1981 resulting in a Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year award, and a World Series Championship.
Fernandomania kicked off exactly 39 years ago today, as a 20-year-old Valenzuela took the mound for the first start of his career. Fernando shut down the Houston Astros for a complete-game win, striking out five and walking two in the process.