The media buzz all season long in major-league baseball has centered around Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese superstar practically dominated the season with his unprecedented 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. He is Babe Ruth and Rickey Henderson wrapped up in one player. Ohtani will soon collect his third MVP Award in just his seventh major-league season. Only 30 years old, he’s already cemented his place in baseball history as one of the best ever.

In 1981 there was another foreign-born player who took the baseball world by storm. Just 20 years old in his first full season, Mexican-born pitcher Fernando Valenzuela captured the nation’s attention with his spectacular start of the season. Had there been the same type of social media prevalence back then as there is now, he would have topped all the trend charts.

Baseball fans are recalling Valenzuela’s career, since he died on October 22, just a few days short of his 64th birthday.

 “FernandoMania” had it’s beginning on Opening Day for the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 9, when lefty Valenzuela shut out the Houston Astros in his first major-league start.

He proceeded to win an additional seven consecutive complete games, giving up only four earned runs and striking out 68 in his eight outings. His 0.50 ERA was off the charts. No pitcher had won their first eight major-league games as a rookie since Dave “Boo” Ferriss accomplished it for the Boston Red Sox in 1945.

Valenzuela’s unique pitching delivery featured a glance skyward before he hurled the ball toward home plate. It was as though he was appealing to the heavens to help put “something extra” on his patented screwball.

At 5’ 11” and 180 pounds Valenzuela didn’t have the svelte physique of Ohtani. But that was part of his lovability by the fans. He was an everyday guy like them, who just happened to pitch like a maniac. The crowds at Dodger Stadium included large contingents of Latinos, who nicknamed him “El Toro.”

Valenzuela finally showed he was human when lost his ninth start. He was a big reason the Dodgers were contending for first place in their division.

But then a players’ strike interrupted the season for two months, beginning on June 11, with the Dodgers leading the Cincinnati Reds by half a game.

Play resumed on August 10. Valenzuela continued his mastery, as he won his next four decisions to make his record 13-4, with a 2.36 ERA. The Dodgers battled the Reds again down the stretch. But Valenzuela hit a rough stretch when he lost three games, and the Reds finished the season four games ahead of the Dodgers.

Valenzuela ended the season with a 13-7 record and 2.48 ERA. He led the National League in complete games (11), shutouts (8), innings pitched (192.1) and strikeouts (180). He was named the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award winner, the only time that a pitcher has accomplished both in the same season.

He was instrumental in the Dodgers post-season run in 1981 that ended in a World Series championship. He recorded victories over Houston in the Division Series, Montreal in the League Championship Series, and the Yankees in the World Series.

Valenzuela went on to post double-digit wins in eight of the nine next seasons for the Dodgers. He ended up playing 17 seasons, compiling a 173-153 record, 3.54 ERA, and 2,074 strikeouts. He finished second, third and fifth in Cy Young Award voting over the next five seasons.