You can not play this media on the current browser / platform.
Fernandomania begins in '81
ShareFacebookTwitterGoogle+Embed
More info
On April 9, 1981, the Los Angeles Dodgers, led by manager Tommy Lasorda began their season with high expectations. The Dodgers wound up meeting those, going on to defeat the New York Yankees in six games to win the 1981 World Series.
Several months prior to that, a 20-year-old Mexican native took the mound on Opening Day for his first career Major League start. Fernando Valenzuela had thrown 17.2 scoreless innings over 10 relief appearances with the Dodgers in 1980, but he remained relatively unknown going into the 1981 season.