Opening game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in honor of Fernando Valenzuela

When the first game of the 2024 World Series begins Friday night at Dodger Stadium, the life and legacy of the late Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela will be honored and celebrated.

The legendary 63 year old died just a few days earlieron Tuesday, after his admitted to a hospital At the beginning of the month.

His legacy and impact continued long beyond his time with the team The Dodgers retired his No. 34 jersey in 2023 despite the team's longstanding rule that it only did so for those who made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

A patch with the number 34 will be worn on all Dodgers jerseys during the 2024 World Series.

Friday night, before the pregame ceremonies begin, a special tribute video for the Mexican-born Valenzuela will be played on the DodgerVision video boards. A mariachi performance featuring Julian Torres and Deyra Barrera will be held in his honor at the Left Field Pavilion.

A minute's silence will be observed before the game.

There are murals throughout the city of El Toro, and Dodger Stadium has its own mural printed by Valenzuela that adorns the stadium's left wall next to the left stadium entrance gates.

Forty-three years ago, Valenzuela made his only World Series appearance when he took the mound at Dodger Stadium in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series against the Yankees, who were leading two games to zero.

The 20-year-old shut out the Yankees in the final 6 1/3 innings of the Dodgers' 5-4 win, throwing 147 pitches while facing 40 batters.

The Dodgers would go on to win the next three games for their first World Series championship since 1965.

Valenzuela grew up on a small farm on the west coast of Mexico with his mother, father and eleven siblings. The Dodgers signed him from the Mexican League in 1979 when he was 18 years old. The rest is history as “Fernandomania” was born and its legacy lives on.