The city of Los Angeles honored the late Dodger legend Fernando Valenzuela in Boyle Heights on Sunday, unveiling a six-story high mural.
At the unveiling event of the mural, KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian spoke with the Dodgers Spanish language broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who worked for the team when “El Toro” threw from the mound.
“I feel very sad because he went ahead of us too young,” Jarrin said.
Valenzuela was confirmed to have died last month at the age of 63-years-old. The Mexican-born star inspired “Fernandomania” in Los Angeles and won the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981.
Jarrin shared with Tavidian that he welcomed Valenzuela when he came to the major leagues in September 1980 and when he hung up his cleats after a 17-year career, opting to pick up a microphone instead.
After his retirement from the diamond, Valenzuela made his way into the broadcast booth, where he and Jarrin’s relationship grew even more.
“I keep beautiful memories of him because he was practically my younger brother,” Jarrin said. “I spent so much time with him that I was able to appreciate all his talent and what he did for the community. I am very pleased to see that they are having this mural here because he is already in the ring of honor at Dodger Stadium.”
The unveiling ceremony for Valenzuela’s mural brought fans from all over to celebrate his life, career, and the impact he made in his community.
“I mean, Fernando was such a wonderful person, not only to the Dodgers but to the city of LA, to Mexico in general,” one spectator shared.
The mural unveiling comes two days after what would have been Valenzuela’s 64th birthday and days after the Dodgers clinched the 2024 World Series.