Post by Blunashun on Feb 5, 2023 10:12:31 GMT
Dodgers to retire Fernando Valenzuela’s No. 34 this summer
Story by Bill Plunkett, The Orange County Register • Yesterday 5:17 PM
LOS ANGELES — From the first spark of “Fernandomania,” Fernando Valenzuela was exceptional. So the Dodgers made an exception.
Dodgers team president and CEO Stan Kasten announced at Saturday’s FanFest event that the team will retire Valenzuela’s uniform number this season. The ceremony will be the centerpiece of a weekend celebration of “Fernandomania” on Aug. 11-13 when they host the Colorado Rockies.
“It was overdue,” said Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who was by Valenzuela’s side as his translator during the “Fernandomania” days and later when Valenzuela joined the Dodgers’ Spanish-language broadcast team. “I’m just so happy that it’s happening. … I’m very pleased, very happy for Fernando.
“I don’t know why they waited. They could have done this several years ago. But anyway – they are now retiring his number. It is fantastic. It is great.”
The Dodgers waited because of a policy Kasten said the current ownership group inherited from their predecessors. Only players or managers inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown had their numbers retired by the Dodgers – with one exception. Jim Gilliam’s No. 19 was retired after he died suddenly in 1978. Gilliam played on four World Series championship teams with the Dodgers and was serving as the team’s first base coach when he died at age 49.
Valenzuela’s No. 34 had been unofficially retired since his playing career with the Dodgers ended after the 1990 season. It was never assigned to another player. Now it will become the 12th jersey number officially retired by the Dodgers, joining Gilliam, Pee Wee Reese, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Don Sutton, Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson and Don Drysdale.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Valenzuela said. “I’ve never been in this kind of situation. I’ve been with the bases loaded but never something like this.
“I’m probably going to be thinking, ‘This happened to me?!’”
Valenzuela was part of two World Series champion teams, winning the 1981 National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards. He was a six-time All-Star during his 11 seasons in with the Dodgers from 1980-90.
The current ownership group inherited the policy of retiring only Hall of Famers’ jersey numbers, Kasten said. But fan sentiment made it obvious Valenzuela needed to be an exception to that rule, he said.
“This had been kicking around with us for several years,” Kasten said, adding that it probably would have been done sooner if not for the disruption COVID created in the team’s promotional planning. “It’s been clear what Fernando means to fans. Someone asked about him being an exception – I think that is the best word to describe Fernando’s accomplishments on the field, in the community and his connection to our fan base. Those are all exceptional.
“The main thing was the constant clamor I got from fans. As you know I walk through the stands every night. I get all kinds of comments – some good, some bad. Mostly good. But the question I get more than any other is about retiring Fernando’s jersey. That convinced us this was the right thing to do.
“We had the policy. But at the end of the day, this just made more sense than just sticking to the policy.”
Kasten broke the news to Valenzuela earlier this week, appropriately on the pitcher’s mound at Dodger Stadium. Valenzuela thought he was there to film a promotion about the team’s Spanish-language broadcasts when Kasten told him.
“When they told me, the Dodgers got me by surprise,” Valenzuela said. “Then I realized I’ve been waiting for this and now it’s happened. It’s the best feeling.
“It got me by surprise. I thought they were just joking. I guess not.”
Now that the Dodgers have made an exception for Valenzuela, there could be other players who did not make the Hall of Fame to consider – like Orel Hershiser (55) or Steve Garvey (6).
“It is an exception. But who knows what the future holds, right?” Kasten said. “We don’t have anything on the drawing board right now. We always look at our policies. We’ll continue to do that from time to time.”
Story by Bill Plunkett, The Orange County Register • Yesterday 5:17 PM
LOS ANGELES — From the first spark of “Fernandomania,” Fernando Valenzuela was exceptional. So the Dodgers made an exception.
Dodgers team president and CEO Stan Kasten announced at Saturday’s FanFest event that the team will retire Valenzuela’s uniform number this season. The ceremony will be the centerpiece of a weekend celebration of “Fernandomania” on Aug. 11-13 when they host the Colorado Rockies.
“It was overdue,” said Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who was by Valenzuela’s side as his translator during the “Fernandomania” days and later when Valenzuela joined the Dodgers’ Spanish-language broadcast team. “I’m just so happy that it’s happening. … I’m very pleased, very happy for Fernando.
“I don’t know why they waited. They could have done this several years ago. But anyway – they are now retiring his number. It is fantastic. It is great.”
The Dodgers waited because of a policy Kasten said the current ownership group inherited from their predecessors. Only players or managers inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown had their numbers retired by the Dodgers – with one exception. Jim Gilliam’s No. 19 was retired after he died suddenly in 1978. Gilliam played on four World Series championship teams with the Dodgers and was serving as the team’s first base coach when he died at age 49.
Valenzuela’s No. 34 had been unofficially retired since his playing career with the Dodgers ended after the 1990 season. It was never assigned to another player. Now it will become the 12th jersey number officially retired by the Dodgers, joining Gilliam, Pee Wee Reese, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Don Sutton, Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson and Don Drysdale.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Valenzuela said. “I’ve never been in this kind of situation. I’ve been with the bases loaded but never something like this.
“I’m probably going to be thinking, ‘This happened to me?!’”
Valenzuela was part of two World Series champion teams, winning the 1981 National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards. He was a six-time All-Star during his 11 seasons in with the Dodgers from 1980-90.
The current ownership group inherited the policy of retiring only Hall of Famers’ jersey numbers, Kasten said. But fan sentiment made it obvious Valenzuela needed to be an exception to that rule, he said.
“This had been kicking around with us for several years,” Kasten said, adding that it probably would have been done sooner if not for the disruption COVID created in the team’s promotional planning. “It’s been clear what Fernando means to fans. Someone asked about him being an exception – I think that is the best word to describe Fernando’s accomplishments on the field, in the community and his connection to our fan base. Those are all exceptional.
“The main thing was the constant clamor I got from fans. As you know I walk through the stands every night. I get all kinds of comments – some good, some bad. Mostly good. But the question I get more than any other is about retiring Fernando’s jersey. That convinced us this was the right thing to do.
“We had the policy. But at the end of the day, this just made more sense than just sticking to the policy.”
Kasten broke the news to Valenzuela earlier this week, appropriately on the pitcher’s mound at Dodger Stadium. Valenzuela thought he was there to film a promotion about the team’s Spanish-language broadcasts when Kasten told him.
“When they told me, the Dodgers got me by surprise,” Valenzuela said. “Then I realized I’ve been waiting for this and now it’s happened. It’s the best feeling.
“It got me by surprise. I thought they were just joking. I guess not.”
Now that the Dodgers have made an exception for Valenzuela, there could be other players who did not make the Hall of Fame to consider – like Orel Hershiser (55) or Steve Garvey (6).
“It is an exception. But who knows what the future holds, right?” Kasten said. “We don’t have anything on the drawing board right now. We always look at our policies. We’ll continue to do that from time to time.”
