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.

Sports Dodgers

Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein

Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein is a former senior video director for features, sports and long-form videos at the Los Angeles Times. 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.

Mark E. Potts

Mark E. Potts is the senior editor for video at the Los Angeles Times. A native of Enid, Okla., Potts graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. He has created and edited video for DreamWorks, YouTube, Microsoft, Sony and BET.

Jessica Q. Chen

Jessica Q. Chen is a Chinese American filmmaker and journalist whose work explores stories and change around women’s issues, youth culture and sports. She was the series producer for L.A. Times Short Docs.

Steve Saldivar

Steve Saldivar is a former video journalist at the Los Angeles Times.