A public memorial for Fernando Valenzuela will be held in downtown Los Angeles: how to attend

LOS ANGELES – On Wednesday there will be a public funeral for the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who died Oct. 22 at age 63.

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Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angelesand the entry procession will begin at 9:45 a.m.

According to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Mass will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited space inside the cathedral. An observation deck will be open on Cathedral Square, also with limited capacity. The Mass will also be livestreamed. olacathedral.org/fernando34.

Archdiocese officials urged anyone hoping to attend to use public transportation or taxis as there will be no public parking on the cathedral grounds.

Valenzuela’s cause of death has not been disclosed. He was the team’s Spanish-language announcer but stepped away from the microphone in late September for undisclosed health reasons. The team announced in early October that he would miss the rest of the season.

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Valenzuela was born in Navojoa, Mexico, the youngest of 12 children. The Dodgers acquired Valenzuela’s contract from Leones de Yucatan of the Mexican League on July 6, 1979, and assigned him to their Class A California League affiliate in Lodi.

Valenzuela was taught to throw his famous eccentric ball by Dodgers pitcher Bobby Castillo after the 1979 season. Armed with the new pitch, Valenzuela led the Texas League in strikeouts in 1980.

Valenzuela made his major league debut at age 19 with the Dodgers on September 15, 1980, throwing 17 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run the rest of the season.

When Jerry Reuss pulled a leg muscle 24 hours before his scheduled opening day start in 1981 and Burt Hooton was not available to replace him, Valenzuela became the Dodgers’ starter, throwing five hits in a 2-0 win over the Dodgers. . defending National League West champion Houston Astros.

He then made an unprecedented career start, with complete games in his first eight career starts—five of them shutouts—and a 0.50 ERA, inspiring what would be called “Fernandomania.”

Valenzuela became the only player to win the Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in the same season, 1981.

The Dodgers won the World Series over the New York Yankees in six games in 1981, with Valenzuela winning Game 3 at Dodger Stadium after the team lost the first two games in New York. Valenzuela was also on the Dodgers team that won the World Series in 1988 over the Oakland A’s.

Valenzuela was a six-time All-Star with the Dodgers, winning the Gold Glove Award in 1986 and the Silver Slugger Award in 1981 and 1983.

In 1990, he introduced the no-hitter, immortalized by Vin Scully’s exhortation: “If you’ve got a sombrero, throw it in the sky.”

After being released by the Dodgers in 1991, Valenzuela played for the Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals. He was 173-153 and had a 3.54 ERA during a 17-season major league career that ended in 1997.

Valenzuela was the Dodgers broadcaster from 2003 until his death.

Fans loved Fernando not only for his achievements, but also for his ordinary physique and simple manners.

His remarkable humility was demonstrated in a series of interviews with MLB.com in 2021 to mark the 40th anniversary of Fernandomania, when he was asked how he wanted to be remembered.

“It would be great if they remember me as someone who always tried my best to always give them a good show so they could enjoy this great game,” he said.

He was honored throughout the Dodgers’ World Series this season, with a floral cross placed next to his retired No. 34 at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers’ championship parade and celebration at the stadium took place on Friday, what would have been Valenzuela’s 64th birthday.

A six-story mural of Valenzuela was unveiled Sunday in Boyle Heights.

Valenzuela is survived by his wife Linda and four children: Fernando Jr., Ricardo, Linda and Maria Fernanda, as well as seven grandchildren.