[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H4129-H4131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING FERNANDO VALENZUELA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 9, 2023, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Cardenas) for 30 minutes.
  Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Fernando Valenzuela, 
former pitcher and current Spanish-language broadcaster for the Los 
Angeles Dodgers. He is a husband, father, grandfather, and on top of 
that he is a cultural icon for Latinos worldwide.

                              {time}  1730

  Coming up on August 11, 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be 
retiring his number, Number 34.
  This honor will cement his legacy with other Dodger greats such as 
Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Sandy Koufax. It is certainly a 
fitting tribute.
  Fernando Valenzuela's name is synonymous with Los Angeles sports 
culture. His nickname, ``El Toro,'' and his iconic, unorthodox pitching 
windup, raising his hands above his head and glancing skyward before 
tossing his deadly screwball, is just as much a staple of Los Angeles 
sports history as Kobe Bryant's 81-point game or Vin Scully's legendary 
calls, but his impact extends far beyond Los Angeles.
  Fernando's humble origins and charisma made him an inspirational icon 
for Latinos across not only just Los Angeles, but the entire Nation. He 
expanded the footprint of Latino players in the sport, building on the 
legacy of Latino players like Roberto Clemente transforming the 
demographics of baseball's fan base and player base.
  Fernando's inspirational story reflects the awesome potential that 
all immigrants can achieve their dreams right here in America.
  I am honored to stand before you today, Mr. Speaker, to share some of 
that beautiful and amazing history.
  Fernando Valenzuela was the youngest of 12 children born to an 
impoverished family in the town of Etchohuaquila, Sonora, Mexico, in 
1960. His parents, Avelino and Maria, were farm workers of native Mayo 
descent.
  While pitching in the Mexican league for the Mayos de Navojoa in 
1979, Valenzuela stunned famous Dodger scout, Mike Brito, with his 
talent. After falling behind 3-0 in the count, Fernando tossed three 
perfect strikes to close out the game, prompting Brito and the Dodgers 
to take a gamble on Fernando. It took just over 1 year for Fernando to 
ascend to the majors.
  After signing Valenzuela in the summer of 1979, the Dodgers assigned 
him to the Lodi Dodgers of the High-A level California league, then to 
the San Antonio Dodgers of the Texas league.
  His stay in the minor leagues was short-lived, and in September of 
1980, Valenzuela was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the last 
month of the season, Valenzuela helped the Dodgers by pitching 17 
scoreless relief innings.
  One year later, Fernando would experience a season that can only be 
characterized as a spectacular dream come true. 1981 for the city of 
Los Angeles was our bicentennial, but really, only one word can 
describe 1981 in L.A.: Fernandomania.
  After a teammate suffered a last-minute injury, manager Tommy Lasorda 
named Fernando to be the Dodgers' opening day starter.
  Fernando won his first eight starts, including five shutouts. After 
returning from a midseason strike, Fernando won the Cy Young Award, 
Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, and a World Series.
  Fernando kept his streak alive off the field. He married the love of 
his life, Linda. The ceremony was attended by 4,000 people and drew 
congratulations from then-President Ronald Reagan. Fernando and his 
wife, Linda, have four children. The couple celebrated their 41st 
anniversary last year.
  Fernando would continue to pitch for 15 years with five additional 
teams, adding to his resume a no-hitter and six consecutive All-Star 
selections.
  Fernando's impact on the field was phenomenal, and his greatest 
impact was actually off the field.
  Before Fernando, baseball largely ignored Mexico as a scouting 
destination. Since Mel Almada, the first Mexico-born Major League 
Baseball player, debuted in 1933, Mexican players accumulated little 
name recognition and few accolades beyond Bobby Avila and his batting 
title in 1954.
  While Fernando was not the first Mexican-born player on the Dodgers, 
he reached a new stratosphere of skill and popularity. His talent 
helped catapult Mexico into a coveted destination for Major League 
scouting and funding. Fernando blazed a trail for future Mexican greats 
like pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Teddy Higuera.
  He helped build that infrastructure that cultivated the careers of 
fellow

[[Page H4130]]

Mexican Dodgers like Ismael Valdez, Esteban Loaiza, Adrian Gonzalez, 
and World Series champion, Julio Urias.
  Fernandomania transformed Los Angeles baseball from a sport for the 
White upper-class people into a cultural staple cherished by people of 
all colors, creeds, and backgrounds. He truly transformed not only the 
Dodgers but Los Angeles history.
  We must not forget the ugly history between the Dodgers and the 
families of Chavez Ravine. We must not forget the dark horrible events 
in history where hundreds of Latino families and other poor families of 
color were pushed out of their homes by the city of Los Angeles to 
build Dodgers Stadium. This bitterness from the Latino community has 
lasted for decades, and some of it still lingers in the hearts and the 
minds of many.
  Fernando was able to be that bridge to unite everybody in Los Angeles 
under that shade of Dodger blue. Fueled by an outpouring of Latino 
fans, Fernando sold out 11 of his first 12 home starts and pushed the 
Dodgers home attendance to a Major League Baseball record of 3.6 
million fans in 1982.
  Just like many Latinos, Fernando donned the modest demeanor of a man 
of humble origins. Fernando's improbable journey from a Mexican pueblo 
to the center of the baseball universe instilled a sense of optimism 
for all Latinos, many of whom had recently immigrated or were 
struggling with meager salaries and very, very difficult jobs and 
conditions.
  To the Latino community, Fernando was a peer and an inspiration and 
the embodiment of the dreams that do come true.
  Fernando's impact on Latino communities extends far beyond my home 
city of Los Angeles. Latinos from coast to coast saw a reflection of 
themselves in Fernando.
  When the Dodgers packed their bags for a road trip, opposing teams 
would sell 13,000 more tickets per game when Fernando took the mound 
compared to other Dodger starters.

  Fernando was aware of his impact. During the height of his career, 
Fernando said: ``I knew I was representing Mexico to many people. I was 
aware of that.''
  Yet this titanic burden of embodying the face of a nation may still 
have been an underestimation.
  Throughout the Americas, from the United States, Mexico, the 
Caribbean, and Central America to South America, people turned out in 
droves to catch a glimpse of Fernando. He didn't merely represent 
Mexico. He represented all of us.
  Perhaps one of the most qualified persons to speak on the impact of 
Fernandomania is Jaime Jarrin, the Dodger's Spanish-language 
broadcaster. He broadcasted for 64 years. Jaime began announcing games 
for the Dodgers in the 1950s as part of Major League Baseball's first-
ever, full-time Spanish-language broadcast.
  Jaime concluded his groundbreaking 64-year career when he retired 
last year. He called games during Valenzuela's entire Dodgers tenure 
and shared the broadcast booth with Valenzuela for over a decade and a 
half.
  Jaime has made no secret of the respect and admiration he holds for 
his colleague, Fernando Valenzuela. Jaime has said that Valenzuela drew 
more fans than any other player in baseball history because he tapped 
into an entirely new demographic. According to Jaime, before 
Valenzuela, the percentage of Latinos at Dodger games sat in the single 
digits. After a few years, that number ballooned to 30 percent, and 
today it has grown to almost 50 percent, including my family members, 
my children, and my grandchildren.
  In Jaime's words, Fernando created interest in baseball among people 
who did not know what baseball was. His monumental impact transformed 
the Dodgers and all Major League Baseball into a beacon of diversity 
both on and off the field and in the stands.
  Few players could be more deserving of his number being retired than 
Fernando.
  I congratulate Fernando Valenzuela for his number being retired.
  I call on the Baseball Writers' Association of America and the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee to induct Fernando Valenzuela to the 
National Baseball Hall of Fame.
  His career and cultural influence, including his ongoing work within 
the Dodgers on their Spanish-language broadcast is a true inspiration 
to everyone.
  I honor the incredible career of Fernando Valenzuela as he takes his 
place enshrined forever in Dodger history.
  I look forward to seeing Number 34 next to the greats such as Jackie 
Robinson's Number 42 and Sandy Koufax's Number 32.
  As the great Dodger announcer Vin Scully said after Fernando threw 
his no-hitter on June 29, 1990, against the St. Louis Cardinals: ``If 
you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky.''
  This is just a glimpse of the impact and the life of the legendary 
pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.
  I think it is important that we all understand that we do live in a 
great, great country. It is amazing to see when people have an 
opportunity to come to our great country, they truly are allowed to be 
the best that they can be.
  Fernando and many, many other people who have come to this country 
have exuded that, and I truly do believe that immigrants who come to 
our great country are incredibly grateful not only for their 
opportunities but the love and loyalty that they show and have for the 
great country of the United States of America.
  I also say on behalf of my colleagues, especially my Los Angeles 
colleagues who couldn't be here today and who would have loved to share 
some of their stories about what Fernandomania and what Fernando 
Valenzuela means to them, how proud we all are that they are retiring 
his number which is a tremendous, tremendous honor that only comes to 
very few in any sport.
  I also want to share my own family's story and history with Fernando 
Valenzuela.
  My mother and father came from Mexico. My father never participated 
in sports. He only went to school to the first grade. My mother went to 
school to the second grade. They were too poor to engage in sports.
  At the age of 5 and 6, their job was to work to help the family just 
get by. My parents came to this country and certainly appreciated every 
opportunity they were afforded here, especially watching their 11 
American-borne citizens in Los Angeles grow to our potential.
  I remember my mother would ask me: ``Esta jugando Fernando?'' ``Is 
Fernando playing today?''
  If I said yes, then Jaime Jarrin in Spanish on the radio got turned 
on, and she listened to the whole game.
  To be honest with you, Mr. Speaker, my mother, Maria, really didn't 
understand baseball, but she was proud of the fact that somebody from 
her country of Mexico was showing a positive impact and was competing 
with the best right here in our country of America.
  She didn't have to understand baseball, but she understood that this 
young man, Fernando Valenzuela, was giving it his best, competing with 
the best, and making her and millions of people proud because he was a 
positive and shining example of what good people can do when given the 
opportunity to shine.
  It is my honor to say congratulations to Fernando Valenzuela and to 
tell him in his native tongue: ``Te lo mereces,'' ``You deserve this.''
  I am honored to be a Member of the United States Congress, and this 
is a great opportunity for me to honor this great person, the wonderful 
human being, who has exuded everything that every parent, every 
teacher, and every person wants all of our young people to become: good 
and responsible adults who take the best opportunities that they have 
been given and make the best of it.


                   Honoring Dr. Firouz Michael Naderi

  Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man who inspired 
us to reach for the stars, Dr. Firouz Michael Naderi.
  Dr. Naderi was born in Shiraz, Iran. He came to the United States and 
received an electrical engineering degree from the Iowa State 
University and the University of Southern California.

                              {time}  1745

  He returned to his native Iran, where he worked for the state remote 
sensing agency, but the turmoil of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 
brought Dr. Naderi to the United States, where he served our country as 
part of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, otherwise known as JPL, in Pasadena, 
California.

[[Page H4131]]

  When Dr. Naderi retired, NASA awarded him the Distinguished Service 
Medal and named an asteroid after him.
  In his post-NASA career, Dr. Naderi was a vocal advocate for human 
rights and civil rights. He demonstrated the strength, power, and 
kindness of the Iranian community while speaking truth to power against 
all injustices.
  I stand here to celebrate and honor the incredible life of my friend, 
Dr. Firouz Naderi, who was lost too soon last month.
  Dr. Naderi was someone who saw no borders, no lines, no separating of 
people on this blue marble spinning around the Sun that we call Earth.
  Dr. Firouz Naderi was born on March 15, 1946, and left Iran in 1964. 
In 1969, he earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from 
Iowa State University and, in 1972, a master's degree in electrical 
engineering from the University of Southern California; in 1996, a 
Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Southern 
California.
  When he returned to Iran, as I mentioned earlier, he was forced to 
leave his beloved country and came back to California, to the United 
States, where he pursued the distinguished career that has made him one 
of NASA and JPL's most amazing scientists.
  He was JPL's associate director for project formulation and strategy 
and director of solar system exploration. In 2000, he became head of 
the Mars Exploration Program and, in 2005, received NASA's 
Distinguished Service Medal.
  From 2000 to 2012, he led six consecutive, successful American 
missions to Mars--four landers and two orbiters--on January 4, 2004, 
landing the Spirit rover and on January 25, 2004, landing the 
Opportunity rover.
  He was a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He was a board 
member of various organizations, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian 
Americans, Arasteh-Amin Foundation, Keep Children in School Foundation, 
and Iranica Encyclopedia.
  In February 2016, the International Astronomical Union named an 
asteroid after Dr. Naderi. In 2017, he accepted the Academy Award for 
Best Foreign Language Film, which was by Asghar Farhadi and called 
``The Salesman,'' with Anousheh Ansari.
  I am honored to be a United States Congressman, and it gives me great 
pleasure and honor to take the opportunity and privilege of honoring 
people like Dr. Naderi.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________