Fernando Valenzuela, who was named one of President Obama's Ambassadors for Citizenship and Naturalization today, had come to America as a chubby 18-year old kid from a poor section of town in Sonora, Mexico. He initially looked out of place on the ballfield with his "Ruthian" physique and childish smile that seemed to reach from ear to ear. Then they handed him a Baseball and everything became clear. This kid had a magic left arm and he would eventually change the game.
His rise was swift and the reaction from the American masses culminated into an hysteria that folks called "Fernandomania.