Fernando

[calvindog]

Rick, love your Koufax website!

[rlevy]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Rick, love your Koufax website!

Thanks Jeffrey, I've been collecting Koufax memorabilia for 35 years, and it has become almost impossible to add to the collection in recent years. Cards yes, vintage memorabilia, no.

Regarding Fernando, I'm going to the first game tomorrow night, and it's going to be super emotional for everyone when the Dodgers have a tribute to him. Incredibly sad way to start such a highly anticipated world series. I wish Fernando would have lived long enough to be there, he certainly would have been throwing out the first pitch.

Rick

[DodgerMike22]

RIP Fernando

[Chris-Counts]

Fernando is my favorite Dodger ever. The buzz when he came up was off the charts. I saw him beat the Yankees during the World Series in 1981. I'm so glad his number was retired last year while he could still appreciate it.

[Casey2296]

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There's an old and verified story that infield teammates Ron Cey Bill Russell Davey Lopes and Steve Garvey, meticulously taught Fernando in English how to be nice-nice to Tommy Lasorda if and when Tommy made a trip to the mound to chat up Fernando or in rare cases came to pull him.

The four infielders told him it was traditional and customary here in the USA to graciously repeat a phrase that would endear Fernando to Tommy.

The only problem was they taught Fernando to say slowly "Thank You Mr Lasorda, you co**sucking a**hole".

When Tommy left the dugout for the mound all 4 players gathered around covering their mouths with their hats or gloves.

Those in attendance said Tommy reached for the ball as Fernando reached to hand it to him and Fernando walked down the slope of the mound and in almost perfect English said "Thank You Mr Lasorda you co**sucking a**hole".

Rumor has it that the 4 infielders had to keep Tommy from falling to the ground.

Gotta love baseball.

[gonzo]

Rest in Peace, Fernando.
I remember, in 1981, waiting for “This Week in Baseball” to see what he'd done that week. He was the star of the first Topps Traded set.

We don’t see many screwball pitchers anymore.

In Harry Turtledove’s sci-fi story, “The Road Not Taken,” Fernando’s passes away right before the story begins.
Turtledove is a big baseball fan. Pre-war baseball fans will recognize several of the character names.

https://eyeofmidas.com/scifi/Turtled...adNotTaken.pdf