Fernando Valenzuela
| Birthdate | 11/1/1960 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1980 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers, Orioles, Padres, Phillies |
| Positions | Announcer, Pitcher |
The only pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year & Cy Young in the same season, Fernando Valenzuela made 6 straight All Star teams from 1981-86.
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1981 Topps Dodger Future Stars card signed by Fernando, Mike Scioscia, and Jack Perconte
1981 Topps Dodger Future Stars card signed by Fernando, Mike Scioscia, and Jack Perconte
Sometimes it’s difficult to predict how well a prospect will perform at the big league level. This card produced by Topps displays Mike Scioscia, Fernando Valenzuela, and Jack Perconte and is autographed by each player.
Though Perconte would enjoy seven Major League seasons, the two men pictured with him became mainstays for two Dodger championship teams.
Scioscia played in more than 1,400 games for the Dodgers while Valenzuela would win the Rookie of Year and Cy Young awards for Los Angeles.
Fernando made six consecutive All Star teams from 1981-1986 and added in a pair of Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove for good measure.
Jerry Layne called balls and strikes for Fernando's 1990 no-hitter; here Layne signs for his 2011 All Star ring
Jerry Layne called balls and strikes for Fernando's 1990 no-hitter; here Layne signs for his 2011 All Star ring
Fernando Valenzuela took the baseball world by storm in 1981. He earned both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards for his work in the regular season before the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the World Series. Fernandomania was all the rage throughout the country.
Perhaps his most memorable single-game performance came more than a decade later when he pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. The home plate umpire that night was Jerry Layne.
Layne broke into the big leagues in 1989 and has been on the field for some memorable moments. In addition to Valenzuela’s no-hitter, Layne worked the plate when Barry Bonds hit his 71st homer of the 1991 to eclipse Mark McGwire’s single-season home run record.
The umpire has worked the post season as well as the 2011 All Star Game. In the collection is the document Layne signed to receive his ring from the Midsummer Classic that year.
Fernandomania!!!!