Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela is remembered by family, teammates and fans at funeral mass

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) – The funeral mass took place on Wednesday morning. Dodgers icon of Fernando Valenzuela in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

The public mass was attended by fans wearing Dodgers uniforms, some wearing Valenzuela’s No. 34 jersey. Many held cell phones to record the moments. About 1000 people were present.

Former Dodgers teammate Mike Scioscia, who spoke Spanish at times, praised Valenzuela for having the “heart of a lion.”

“He had a quiet confidence about him. He always felt like he was the best in the world, but he never told anyone about it,” Scioscia said. “He went out on that mound with all this inner confidence to go out there and perform the best he could.”

Fernando Valenzuela Jr. tearfully delivered a eulogy for his father in Spanish, pausing to wipe his face with a white cloth. Valenzuela’s wife Linda and Ricardo’s other children, Linda and Maria, sat in the front row along with his grandchildren.

Valenzuela Jr. said during the service that his father was the most important person in his life. He added that before his death he asked his beloved father for more time to learn from him about life.

“Fernando is alive and present in our hearts and in our lives,” said the Rev. James Anguiano.

Frankie Sandoval, a former Dodgers practice pitcher, was among those who came to pay their respects. Valenzuela was also his son’s godfather.

“My heart is broken because he was very dear to me, very important to my life,” Sandoval said.

Valenzuela died Oct. 22 at age 63, three days before the Dodgers began their final march to an eighth World Series championship by defeating the New York Yankees in five games last week. The cause of death was not specified.

The Dodgers’ victory parade took place last Friday, what would have been Valenzuela’s 64th birthday.

The nine-piece Mariachi Sol de Mexico played and sang throughout the service. It ended with eight pallbearers carrying his coffin, covered in white roses, to a waiting hearse.

Among the mourners were former Dodgers players Orel Hershiser, Ron Cee, Reggie Smith, Jerry Reuss, Manny Mota, Justin Turner, Rick Sutcliffe, Nomar Garciaparra and Jesse Orozco. They were joined by former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, current president and CEO Stan Kasten, team chief operating officer Bob Wolf, team general counsel Sam Fernandez and actor Edward James Olmos.

Valenzuela’s colleagues on the team’s Spanish-language broadcasts, Jaime Jarrin, who will retire in 2022, and Jose Mota were there.

Valenzuela helped transform the Dodgers’ fan base starting in 1981 when “Fernandomania” took off. The Mexican-born pitcher won the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year that season, and finished the year by helping the Dodgers defeat the Yankees in the World Series.

A six-time All-Star, Valenzuela went 173-153 in 17 seasons, including 141-116 with the Dodgers in 1980-90.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.