It’s easy to imagine legendary pitching ace Fernando Valenzuela watching over his beloved Dodgers on what would have been his 64th birthday, and throwing in some left-handed divine intervention in the team’s hard-fought, back-to-back title win on Nov. 1.
It sure felt like it for the fans and friends that packed Valenzuela’s favorite booth at Max’s Mexican restaurant in Monrovia on Saturday.
“He loved and admired his Dodgers. He would always root and travel with them as part of his continued career with the organization. He would say, ‘Que les vaya bien,’ all will be well,” said friend Ulises Gutierrez.
In the year since “El Toro’s” death on Oct. 22, 2024, the restaurant has become a destination for Dodgers fans from across the San Gabriel Valley, according to Gutierrez, operations director for Max’s.
Valenzuela, great friends of owner Max Arteaga and his family, would also visit Max’s in Azusa, sitting down with his cafecito (dark, no sugar, lots of cream), one earpiece connected to his phone so he could listen to his Dodgers play even as he met with fans.
This year, as the team made its way through its postseason bid to stay on top of the baseball world, Gutierrez said fans would stop by his No. 34 booth, take a selfie, and “say a prayer for victory.”
It worked. The Dodgers would go on to a 5-4 win in a wild, back and forth game for the ages, all on Valenzuela’s birthday.
“During Game 7, there were loud cheers and times of suspense, and once the Dodgers won, there was a wave of energy and celebration,” Gutierrez said.
Valenzuela would have loved the historic exploits of fellow pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, because both are young trailblazers still learning the language and the culture, much like the Mexican-born left-handed phenom with an amazing screwball, who was 20 when he made his Major League debut with the Dodgers in 1980.
“He most likely would admire them, because they too are young and English is their second language, and that’s the way Fernando started,” Gutierrez said.
Valenzuela’s 1981 season ended ended with his team’s World Series triumph. He played 11 seasons with the team, winning Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young award, and being selected an All-Star six times. He would play for the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres before retiring in 1997.
He became a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers in 2003, and stepped down months before his death.
At Max’s, where the Arteaga family commissioned a mural honoring Valenzuela, the year since his passing is a happy-sad mix of missing him while watching Dodger games.
“There are days in which his interviews will be aired on TV, we pause, take a deep breath and think of the wonderful memories,” Gutierrez said.
Valenzuela wasn’t just a legend on the field, he was part of the Max’s family.
“He had his favorite table, his usual breakfast, and always greeted everyone with kindness and warmth,” said Angelica Arteaga. “We were blessed to have known him, and his presence brought so much joy to our restaurant and our community. He’ll always be remembered with love here at Max’s.”
In nearby Duarte, Mayor Cesar A. Garcia honored the Dodgers great in an ofrenda during the city’s Dia delos Muertos celebration at City Hall the evening of Game 7 on Nov. 1. Garcia knew all about “Fernandomania” from his grandfather, who told him how Valenzuela played a key role in bringing Mexican and Latino fans to the Dodgers fold.
“He helped bridge a gap,” Garcia said.
He said Valenzuela helped raise thousands of dollars for Duarte’s boxing program by signing baseballs and jerseys for auction.
“On multiple occasions, the Spanish-language Dodgers broadcasters would send shoutouts to the city and the program. Fernando was also familiar with Duarte since he recorded several commercials for Nissan here in the city,” Garcia said.
Getting a win on his birthday is special, he added, especially given the wildfires and federal immigration raids of the past year.
“Fernando always spoke up for the Latino community, and I’m certain he would have made a stance on issues that were important to him. He was very quiet, and a jokester, on the few occasions we met, he was always teasing. Fernando is a huge part of baseball, of our community, culture, and it’s an honor to know his contributions supported the youth in our community. He is missed, and we will remember him forever.”