A religious reaction to Fernando Valenzuela’s eyes
By Adrian Burgos
Each Saturday, El Profe digs into moments in baseball history captured by a camera lens. These Iconic Images stir the soul, capturing more than a moment in a game. Today the Old Testament comes to mind as El Profe remembers Fernandomania.
This picture of Fernando Valenzuela defines the greatest Mexican player in Major League Baseball history.
It’s all about the eyes lifted towards the heavens. This element of his pitching motion always struck me as spiritual. It reminds me of a biblical verse, from Psalms 121:
“I look up to the hills, from where cometh my help.”
The Spanish version is more powerful and lyrical.
“Alzare mis ojos a los montes, de donde vendra mi Socorro.”
But when it was Valenzuela’s screwball or another one of his assortment of pitches headed toward home plate, clearly it was the batter who was the one who was left looking to the hills for help.
Mexican Pride
The start of Valenzuela’s big league career was amazing. He won the National League Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young awards in 1981, leading the league in complete games, shutouts, and strikeouts.
But the Dodgers lefty did something that went beyond the playing field, and you could see it in the stands and across the United States and Mexico.
Fernandomania swept across MLB in 1981.
When Fernando lifted his eyes toward the sky with each windup, Mexicans everywhere watched him with pride.
This was the first time I could see with my own eyes the passion Mexicans had for baseball as they cheered for Valenzuela at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, New York’s Shea Stadium and even in Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium.
Their presence transformed big league parks, waving Mexican flags, cheering on the young lefty who possessed a pitching style quite unlike what most fans had previously witnessed.
Estilo Mexicano (Mexican Style)
You can’t really teach certain habits in baseball. In fact, what has often frustrated major league coaches is the difficulty of un-teaching certain fielding, hitting, or pitching habits that Latino players brought with them.
Some coaches are wise enough to recognize that sometimes the formula to the success of certain Latino players might just be in not eliminating the style or approach of the player but fine-tuning aspects of it.
That is what I saw in Valenzuela’s pitching style, how he threw from the mound.
The leg lifted all the way to the uniform top’s letters, high as he prepares to lance a pitch toward home.
The momentary pause with his glove extended overhead.
The eyes lifted toward the heavens.
He seemingly did this every time, gathering himself just before hurling a wicked screwball toward the plate.
Batters couldn’t handle what was coming.
While most fans might remember 1981 as a strike-shortened season, for me it will remain the season Valenzuela allowed Mexicans and Latino fans everywhere to openly show their passion for baseball through the artistry of the young hurler from Navojoa, México.
Featured Image: Mike Powell / Getty Images Sport
Inset Image: Bettman