![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://media.bizj.us/view/img/11966754/magicjohnsonheadshot*150xx1819-1364-0-0.jpg)
It's been 40 years since Fernando Valenzuela's dream rookie season - L.A. Business First
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3962201/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1620x1080+150+0/resize/840x560!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcd%2F57%2Fb99755104876920a166c4348d94b%2Ff40-ep12-final-horizontal.jpg)
The last wave of Fernandomania played out in Texas, where fans rushed to see a legend - Los Angeles Times
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2017/10/26122101/valenzuela3-1024x707.jpg)
The day Fernando Valenzuela threw 146 pitches in a complete-game victory to rescue the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series - The Athletic
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/t_16x9/t_w1024/mlb/y4vxa8oq3yvhmgrn8egl)
Fernando Valenzuela dominant as reliever in debut season
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://people.com/thmb/NlEHHxf_vdr7e_N-e4DerD3CtVI=/159x106/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(639x379:641x381)/clayton-Kershaw-charity-event-8922-c4c3c77c8b4c4c64b728ba6d64ea07d6.jpg)
Fernando Valenzuela Biography Revisits 'Fernandomania
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://people.com/thmb/bL4U4YMiwlPCc3QxcPe1-NSxveo=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/Fernando-Valenzuela-03-062023-24b873c669194e01a3521a13e3577977.jpg)
Fernando Valenzuela Biography Revisits 'Fernandomania
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://people.com/thmb/bynXMhZko5k4Imyud3enaQjwCFc=/159x106/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(939x52:941x54)/mariners-2-bc32cc2320764f1c92016fe9fdbf0b30.jpg)
Fernando Valenzuela Biography Revisits 'Fernandomania
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaW3wEBVQAAbcJu?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)
SportsNet LA on X: On this day in 1981, 20-year old #Dodgers rookie Fernando Valenzuela made his first Major League start and #Fernandomania was born. / X
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/baseball/images/0/0a/Fernando_Valenzuela.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/330?cb=20110330170143)
Fernando Valenzuela, Baseball Wiki
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://i0.wp.com/www.retroseasons.com/retroimages/camuseum_cahalloffame_fernandovalenzuela.png?ssl=1)
Fernando Valenzuela, Rookie of Year and Cy Young Award - RetroSeasons
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0ddbac6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3720x2480+90+0/resize/840x560!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F16%2F32%2Fa0f5b38c4884985522374fa5ffed%2Fgetty-1212991917.jpg)
The last wave of Fernandomania played out in Texas, where fans rushed to see a legend - Los Angeles Times
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://i0.wp.com/www.retroseasons.com/retroimages/fernando-fans-dugout-los-angeles.jpg?ssl=1)
Fernando Valenzuela, Rookie of Year and Cy Young Award - RetroSeasons
![When 20-Year-Old Rookie Fernando Valenzuela Captivated LA—and Major League Baseball](https://i0.wp.com/www.retroseasons.com/retroimages/profile-fernando-lasorda.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1)
Fernando Valenzuela, Rookie of Year and Cy Young Award - RetroSeasons