Outsports Radio

There was something in the air that night The stars were bright, Fernando! And by "that night," I mean "all of 1981." Today, we're throwing back to one of the greatest seasons in baseball history: Fernando Valenzuela's rookie year with the Dodgers! And as MLB.com reporter Jesse Sanchez enthuses, it was about so much more than just great pitching. Valenzuela was an international sensation. Seemingly arriving out of nowhere, Valenzuela became a focal point for the Mexican and Latinx communities--at the beginning of the Reagan era, no less. He seemed to top himself every start with a streak of dominating performances, eventually leading the Dodgers to a World Series championship. And with every shut out, he opened the door wider for the Mexican community to become lifelong fans and showed the baseball establishment that a Latin American could become the biggest star in the game. Click here to read Jesse's excellent piece about reliving the Fernandomania phenomenon. You can still hear the awe and excitement in Je