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Valenzuela, the youngest of 12 children, was born in Etchohuaquila, Sonora, Mexico – a town with 633 residents. He began his professional career at 17 years old with the Mexican Pacific League, and begun his unlikely ascension through professional baseball, ultimately catching the eye of Dodgers scout Mike Brito.

Brito was watching another player but once he saw the left-hander, he knew he had to sign the player, and convinced the Dodgers to shell out the $120,000 necessary to buy Valenzuela’s contract.

Valenzuela spent two dominant years in the minor leagues where he learned the screwball from Dodgers pitcher Bobby Castillo, ultimately expediting his call-up to the big leagues in September of 1980.

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Valenzuela impressed during the stretch run, appearing in 10 games and firing 17 2/3 innings, striking out 16 and finishing the season with zero earned runs allowed. Though the Dodgers eventually lost to the Astros in a one game playoff, Fernando’s performance was a harbinger of things to come.

The left-hander was an innate practitioner of pranayama, the technique of breathing “through the eyelids,” and his unorthodox delivery – he would look at the sky during his wind up – left hitters baffled. Called upon at the last minute to be the Opening Day starter in 1981, he shut out the Astros, beginning a magical run of eight consecutive wins, including five shut outs.

During the time frame, his ERA was 0.50 (not a misprint). Valenzuela enthused the Dodger fan base but also was the impetus for something much more important – he awakened the city’s Latino population, which began turning out in droves for the craze known as “Fernandomania.” When the young lefty pitched, the city was enraptured.

Fernando cruised to the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards behind the strength of his 2.48 ERA, 13-7 record and league-leading 180 strikeouts and 192 innings. Most importantly, the Dodgers won the World Series as Valenzuela carried his success into the postseason, winning three ball games in his five starts.