How the media had to adapt to Fernando Valenzuela | Fernandomania @ 40 Ep. 8

, Mark E. Potts, Jessica Q. Chen and Steve Saldivar

July 15, 2021 7 AM PT

Fernandomania took baseball and its fans by storm. The media also became infatuated. Throngs of reporters followed his every move, through every city. Though Valenzuela didn’t himself speak English and didn’t reveal much, his impact nevertheless prompted publications like the Los Angeles Times to reassess its coverage of underserved communities in Southern California.

Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein

Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein is senior director/video for features, sports and long-form videos. The UC Berkeley graduate has been an editor at Spin, Los Angeles Reader, Orange Coast and other publications. His work as a documentary writer and producer has appeared on VH1, ESPN, Food Network, Biography and TLC. His short story, “Fried Chicken,” was included in the anthology “Another City” (City Lights, 2001). He started his career on The Times’ prep sports desk.