I didn't know about the Jerry Reuss story until just recently, but it seems like the opening lines of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" brought to life: "If you had one chance, one opportunity, would you capture it, or just let it all slip?" Fernando captured it, for certain. Thanks for sharing your memories of him and what it all meant. It was something that doesn't come around very often.
Not many players can claim they were the zeitgeist for their ethnic and national origins. The Dodgers then did not include Mexican culture or even nod toward the Latinos that made up so much of the city.
It would be a great story if El Toro changed how the owners saw the Dodgers. The closest we got was Vin Scully and his description machine of Fernando/Fernando mania. Vin has passed, so let us forgive him for the embarrassing sombrero references. But the front office and ownership had to start somewhere.
No, the Dodgers were to stumble out of the O’Malley years, into the shitshow that was Fox, and then McCourt. Now, McCourt was not a disaster for the rebuild the Dodgers needed. The McCourts were a disaster in every other way.
The new Guggenheim leadership has made changes. The many Latin nationalities are now a big part of how we see the Dodgers and how the team sees itself. What should have been evident in 1981 took a few more decades to become real.
I was in attendance at the Fernando Tribute last year. Edward James Olmos carried the flag for those who will not forget what it was like between the team and the enormous Mexican population here before Fernando. Politicians embraced 34, and for the most part, it sounded like they meant it. Remembering Fernando Mania brings the youth out in all of us who were baseball conscious in 1981.
Two quick thoughts. First, Mark the Bird Fidritch may have been as big a story as Fernando, but he came and went without changing much. We are still benefiting from what Fernando unleashed.
Second, my grandmother took my sister and brother to opening day in 1981, expecting to see Jerry Reuse on the mound. Instead, they were present at the creation of modern baseball culture.
I didn't know about the Jerry Reuss story until just recently, but it seems like the opening lines of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" brought to life: "If you had one chance, one opportunity, would you capture it, or just let it all slip?" Fernando captured it, for certain. Thanks for sharing your memories of him and what it all meant. It was something that doesn't come around very often.
Not many players can claim they were the zeitgeist for their ethnic and national origins. The Dodgers then did not include Mexican culture or even nod toward the Latinos that made up so much of the city.
It would be a great story if El Toro changed how the owners saw the Dodgers. The closest we got was Vin Scully and his description machine of Fernando/Fernando mania. Vin has passed, so let us forgive him for the embarrassing sombrero references. But the front office and ownership had to start somewhere.
No, the Dodgers were to stumble out of the O’Malley years, into the shitshow that was Fox, and then McCourt. Now, McCourt was not a disaster for the rebuild the Dodgers needed. The McCourts were a disaster in every other way.
The new Guggenheim leadership has made changes. The many Latin nationalities are now a big part of how we see the Dodgers and how the team sees itself. What should have been evident in 1981 took a few more decades to become real.
I was in attendance at the Fernando Tribute last year. Edward James Olmos carried the flag for those who will not forget what it was like between the team and the enormous Mexican population here before Fernando. Politicians embraced 34, and for the most part, it sounded like they meant it. Remembering Fernando Mania brings the youth out in all of us who were baseball conscious in 1981.
Two quick thoughts. First, Mark the Bird Fidritch may have been as big a story as Fernando, but he came and went without changing much. We are still benefiting from what Fernando unleashed.
Second, my grandmother took my sister and brother to opening day in 1981, expecting to see Jerry Reuse on the mound. Instead, they were present at the creation of modern baseball culture.