By Jason Rodriguez/LAist
Originally published Nov. 3, 2024
A new mural of late Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela was unveiled in Boyle Heights on early Sunday afternoon. In an announcement, muralist Robert Vargas said at today’s event that he will start working on a new third panel today.
Fans gathered around site all morning, about a block west of Mariachi Plaza, to celebrate the moment.
Jocelyn Ramirez brought her family to the event after seeing Vargas working on it yesterday in their neighborhood.
The Fernando Valenzuela mural in Boyle Heights. Two panels were unveiled on Sunday. Muralist Robert Vargas said he’ll start working on the third panel today. Photos by Jason Rodriguez for LAist.
“My cousin, he passed away last year and he was a huge Dodger fan, a huge Valenzuela fan,” Ramirez said. “So seeing the mural be painted here within the community is like something really special to us. Like, it’s just really big.”
Vargas, who was born and raised in Boyle Heights, recently completed the Shohei Ohtani mural in Little Tokyo. He worked around the clock to finish this mural. It’s location on the side of the Boyle Heights Apartments is a fitting setting, to many fans.
“I like how it’s bringing everyone together,” Ramirez said. “Seeing not just Dodger fans, but baseball fans and Boyle Heights families come out … it’s really special to me.”
To so many in the community, Valenzuela was more than a lethal southpaw and baseball player who wore No. 34.
“I remember bonding with my father over listening to Fernando on the radio,” said Josefina Lopez, a playwright. “And so for a lot of us Fernando represents our fathers, our brothers, our uncles, and he represents a good man, a hero.”
LAist producer Kevin Tidmarsh contributed to this story.
This report is reprinted with permission from Southern California Public Radio. © 2024 Southern California Public Radio. All rights reserved.
