Fernando Valenzuela’s parents raised him by working as farmers in rural areas.
Sadly, Fernando Valenzuela, who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, passed away on October 23, 2024, at 63.
Highlights
- Fernando Valenzuela took his last breath on October 23, 2024, due to an undisclosed reason.
- His father passed away in 1988 due to the complications of cancer.
- He was born to poor parents who worked as farmers in Etchohauquila.
Fernando’s team, the Dodgers said,
he took his last breath Tuesday night at a Los Angeles hospital but did not provide the cause or other details.
The news comes as the Rodgers prepare to open the World Series on Friday night at home against the New York Yankees.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Valenzuela would be honored during the series at Dodger Stadium.
Fernando had left his color commentator job on the Dodgers’ Spanish-language television broadcast in September without explanation.
He was reported to have been hospitalized earlier this month. His job kept him as a regular at Dodger Stadium, where he held court in the press box dining room before games and remained famous with fans who sought him out for photos and autographs.
Fernando Valenzuela’s Parents Watched His Game From The Press Box
Fernando Valenzuela was born on November 1, 1960, in Sonora, Mexico, to his father, Avelino Valenzuela, and his mother, Hermenegilda Anguamea de Valenzuela.
His parents were poor farmers who worked the land with the help of their children.
Sadly, his father, Avelino, passed away in June 1988 at his home in Mexico after being diagnosed with cancer.
On May 17, 1981, his father, Avelino, and his mother, Hermenegilda, watched him pitch the game against the Phillies from a booth near the press box.
Although his parents stayed out of the media spotlight, their influence helped shape Fernando’s career in Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Fernando Valenzuela’s Family Is Originally From Mexico
Fernando Valenzuela belongs to a middle-class family from Etchohauquila, Sonora, Mexico, with Mexican ethnicity and is of Mayo indigenous ancestry.
Valenzuela and his family spent offseasons between the Mexican cities of Etchohuaquila and Merida.
Former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela has died at age 63, the Dodgers announced Tuesday.
— ESPN (@espn) October 23, 2024
Valenzuela won the NL Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year and a World Series with the team in 1981. pic.twitter.com/WNasRByIm5
His family includes six brothers and five sisters with whom he spent his entire childhood.
Fernando’s wife, Linda Burgos Valenzuela, became his family member on December 29, 1981. Linda is a dedicated primary school teacher.
They had four children: Fernando Jr., Ricardo, Linda, and Maria Fernanda, and seven grandchildren.
Additional Information
- Fernando Valenzuela had an estimated net worth of around $6 million at his passing.
- He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame on August 23, 2003, in a pregame on-field ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
- He was named one of three starting pitchers on MLB’s Latino Legends Team.
