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Dodgers: Honoring 40th Anniversary of Fernando Valenzuela’s Historic Start to 1981 Season

Friday marked a huge anniversary for legendary Dodgers left-hander, Fernando Valenzuela. 40 years ago, on May 14, 1981, Fernando secured his 8th consecutive complete game victory, while “Fernandomania” was firmly sweeping the world of baseball.

The 20-year-old Valenzuela tossed 72 innings over his first 8 starts in 1981, allowing just 4 earned runs in the process. That’s a 0.50 ERA.



Yes, that’s good.

To mark the occasion, MLB Network premiered “Remembering Fernandomania” which looked back at the historic achievement by the young Mexican superstar.

Remembering Fernandomania

Long-time baseball scribe Jon Morosi narrates the presentation, weaving fans through each of Fernando’s stops along the way.

Related: Fernando Valenzuela Speaks Out On His Number Not Being Retired by the Team

Altogether in 1981, Valenzuela put together a 13-7 season with a 2.48 ERA in 25 starts, 11 of which were complete games. He went on to win the Cy Young Award in the National League and secured Rookie of the Year honors — something no one before or since has done.

The Dodgers also went on to beat the New York Yankees in the World Series that October, bringing home the fifth title in franchise history and fourth since moving to LA from Brooklyn.

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Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

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