Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield was hitless in five at-bats against Fernando Valenzuela in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Valenzuela and the Dodgers won the game and were on their way to winning the World Series.
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FILE – Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela throws out the ceremonial first pitch during the MLB All-Star Baseball game on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Abby Parr, File)
The star pitcher was on the minds of the Dodgers and several other baseball officials, including Winfield, before Friday night's Game 1 when the two teams began their latest World Series matchup. Valenzuela passed away earlier this week, and the Dodgers honored him with a No. 34 patch on their World Series jerseys.
Winfield reflected on Valenzuela's impact on baseball in an interview with FOX News Digital.
“Fernando was a great player,” Winfield said. “He didn't look like a baseball player, but he was definitely a great presence on the field. We played against him in the 1981 World Series and we had never seen him before. “He was a rookie, but he ended up being a Cy Young” award winner, All-Star and everything else.
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Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers wears a patch memorializing former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela on his jersey after Game 1 of the Baseball World Series vs. the New York Yankees on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. There is. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
“He passed away the other day. People feel so bad about him here in L.A. because he was an icon. He was a legend. He was part of the community. He will be sorely missed. I guess.”
The 63-year-old man died at a Los Angeles hospital. He was reportedly battling an illness.
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Artist Louis Palestino works on a mural depicting former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 in North Hollywood, California. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
“He is one of the most influential players in Dodgers history and belongs on Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said. “He energized our fan base with the 1981 Fernandomania season and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He’s gone.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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