With the passing of Fernando Valenzuela, it brought back many core memories…back when we had maybe 3 or 4 TV channels…and the Dodgers were always televised…and there was no remote to change those 3 or 4 channels. My dad and his brother were always talking baseball…there was a lot of discussion over the big table at my Mama’s (pronounced mam-maw) about this Mexican pitcher.
You also have to remember, growing up in South Florida, we didn’t have a lot of Mexicans or Mexican-Americans. We had a lot of Hispanics… but from Cuba, Colombia, and other Latin American countries. Mexicans were a “California” thing. Fernando Valenzuela was definitely a California thing. He opened the door for many more baseball greats of Hispanic descent. Even more so, he was a Los Angeles Dodgers’ legend!
Anyway, my dad loves baseball so if a game is/was on…that’s what we are/were watching. Didn’t matter the team because his team rarely got televised. He’s a lifelong Cleveland Indians/Guardians fan…But we saw a lot of the Dodgers…and it’s all coming back to me now….Tommy Lasorda was THE coach. Plus, all these people my awesome significant other talks about often. By talk about (Steve Garvey, Steve Sax, Orel Hershiser, Mike Scioscia, and Dusty Baker—to name a few), I mean he’s given me history lessons and we have watched a lot of YouTube videos of some big plays.
I also remember seeing the Dodgers play in Spring Training…back when everyone came to Florida for baseball in the beautiful spring weather. My dad had 4 season tickets to all the games in West Palm Beach. Some days, we would go to the stadium just to have lunch. Eat a few hot dogs, watch some ball, then we went back to work or school or life. As Humphrey Bogart once said, “A hot dog at the game beats roast beef at the Ritz.” Well said Mr. Bogart!
The West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium on Hank Aaron Drive was demolished in 2002. Both the Braves and the Expos called this stadium home for spring training until 1997, so there was a lot of baseball to be seen back in the day. Even to this day, I love a good baseball game. Yes, I inherited the “baseball is life” gene from my dad.
Once the big guys left to go play in their Major League Stadiums, we still had baseball games to attend. The West Palm Beach Expos, a “Class A” farm club played all summer, and we were there for many of the home games. The stadium shared the parking lot with the West Palm Beach Auditorium. Where else could you watch a baseball game and attend a concert without moving your car? Side note: I graduated from high school inside the West Palm Beach Auditorium…many years ago.
When my dad woke up this morning, and I told him that Fernando Valenzuela passed. He went on and on about what a “phenomenal” pitcher he was, “left handed” he added. He explained in detail (to include his hands holding a ball) that he had this amazing screwball. He also said today they would call it a change up. I could tell by the excitement in his stories, that while he is a Cleveland fan for life, he has a little soft spot in his heart for the great players of the game. I mean, who doesn’t love someone like say….Shohei Ohtani…another Dodgers legend in the making!
The conversation changed to another great player…Pete Rose. He mentioned that he also passed recently. He also feels they did him wrong for not recognizing him in the hall of fame. He said they could have just put an asterisk by his name. Yes, Pete Rose is another legend that joined the big leagues in the sky. That’s another story for another day.
Baseball is used a lot as a metaphor. It gives us a lot of life lessons that we can apply daily. At the same time, baseball quotes are gold! Here’s a few to spark memories and inspire:
“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” -Babe Ruth
“Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.” – Yogi Berra
“Close doesn’t count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and grenades.” -Frank Robinson
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” -Tommy Lasorda
“To keep going in baseball, you have to learn all the time.” -Fernando Valenzuela
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” -Jackie Robinson
See!!! G-O-L-D! There are so many quotes, I could fill this whole page. In respect of your time, I will add just one more: “Remember these two things: play hard and have fun, ” said by Tony Gwynn. I thought I made that quote up? I have said the same thing to my kids through the years before every game or competition: “Play hard and have fun!”
Just like life, baseball isn’t about luck. One of my daughters once said, “Don’t wish me good luck. That sounds like I’m not good enough. If I’m prepared, I don’t need luck.” I had to change my way of thinking that day. Next time you face a big event or you are encouraging someone for a big event (or even just to start your day), remember how hard you worked to get where you are at today. Go out there and give it your best! “Play Hard! Have fun! Be safe!,” is what I say now.
Last quote, I promise…
“Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” Frederick B. Wilcox
That last quote is for me…and maybe you, too! You can’t move forward and experience your best life if you don’t accept that there will be risks and challenges. You want second base? Get off first base, and go get it! Why stop there? The goal is to make it home, and you have to step on third base in the journey. There is a whole team out there making the hits and taking that sacrifice fly so you can achieve your goal. Once you decide to steal second base, there’s no looking back. Whether you are safe or you are out, you moved forward. Now you are either standing proudly on second base, or you are back at the dugout “licking your wounds” and getting ready for your next at bat. See….baseball is life!
We are on a mission…goal is to see a game in all 30 MLB stadiums! Yes, that one above is my dad at Tropicana Stadium…the one that lost its top in the last hurricane. Starting at the left: T-Mobile Stadium in Seattle, Tropicana Stadium in Tampa, Camden Yards in Baltimore, and Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. There have been others, but I just can’t find the photo evidence.