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The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most iconic franchises in baseball. As a result, they have 11 numbers currently retired. They have stars and Hall of Famers up and down their history, so they have a lot of players they've honored in the past.
That list is about to grow. Fernando Valenzuela's #34 jersey is about to be retired, the Dodgers recently announced. Valenzuela was an icon for the franchise and took the baseball world by storm.
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Valenzuela is in the Hall of Fame and remains the only pitcher ever to win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year award in the same season, a feat he accomplished in 1981.
From 1981 to 1986, he was an All-Star every year and had the entire world's attention. Finally, the Dodgers are immortalizing his iconic jersey number.
Obviously, everyone agrees that this is an excellent move by the Dodgers. Even non-Dodgers fans agree that Valenzuela needs to be honored by the franchise.
Most are shocked it took this long to do. He's been retired since 1997 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. Nine years later, the Dodgers are making sure no one ever wears that number again.
He will join Pee Wee Reese, Tommy Lasorda, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Jim Gilliam, Don Sutton, Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson and Don Drysdale as the only Dodgers whose MLB numbers are retired.
Did Fernando Valenzuela play for other teams than the Los Angeles Dodgers?
Fernando Valenzuela's #34 Dodger blue jersey is an iconic one from baseball's history, but he did not only play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent the majority of his career there, though — 11 seasons of his full 17.
He spent three seasons with rival San Diego Padres and one season with the following:
- California Angels
- Baltimore Orioles
- Philadelphia Phillies
- St. Louis Cardinals
His style of play (many fans tried to imitate his iconic windup), his flair and his incredible talent made him a fan favorite for a long time. Now, those fans can rest assured that no one will ever don the #34 jersey in Los Angeles again.
