When Fernando Valenzuela first stepped onto the mound in 1981, few could have predicted the seismic shift he would create, not just in baseball, but in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles. His untimely passing on Tuesday,

Valenzuela’s phenomenal start to the 1981 season ignited the craze and boosted interest in the team among the region’s Mexican-American fan base. He later worked for the team’s Spanish-language

Fenando Valenzuela, the left-handed Dodgers pitcher who took Los Angeles by storm in the 1980s, has died at 63.