Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych, Former Pitcher, Dies at 54

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Times

BOSTON (AP) -- Former All-Star pitcher Mark ''The Bird'' Fidrych has been found dead in an apparent accident at his farm in Northborough, Massachusetts. He was 54.

Worcester County district attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. says a family friend found Fidrych about 2:30 p.m. Monday beneath a pickup truck. He appeared to be working on the truck, Early said.

The colorful right-hander was the American League rookie of the year in 1976 when he went 19-9 with a 2.34 earned run average. He spent all five of his major league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, compiling a 29-19 record and a 3.10 ERA.

His career was cut short by injuries.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/04/13/sports/AP-BBA-Obit-Fidrych.html?_r=1&hp

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That's a shame. RIP Mark.

[FLAprogressive]

1. bad day for baseball fans...RIP Mark Fidrych and Harry Kalas

[KamaAina]

6. And Nick Adenhart last week

that makes three. Hopefully that's it for a while. :(

[Captain Hilts]

33. A real double whammy. nt

[MrPerson]

2. Jeez. Now I am sad.

[Ohio Joe]

3. RIP

Perhaps the oddest ball player ever, loved him.

[panader0]

4. Sad I liked him.

19 and 9 in his rookie year and 29 and 19 overall? So he went 10 and 10 in four years?

[EFerrari]

5. Nooooo!

What does that mean, anyway?

We loved you, Mark. :cry:

[Ishoutandscream2]

7. Jeez, an MLB trifecta

Things come in three's - the young Angels' pitcher, and today the deaths of Fidrych and Kalas. It's been a sad week for the MLB community.

[AllieB]

8. I remember him from when I was in grade school.

RIP. :-(

[DinahMoeHum]

9. An original and a flake in a sport that has historically sprouted flakiness

in some of its players - and the public loves both them and baseball all the more for it.

Fucking hell. Another good man died young.

:toast:

[pacalo]

12. Those are the ones I enjoy watching.

I remember laughing so hard during the 1980 World Series when I saw Jay Johnstone strutting back & forth in the dugout with something stuffed inside his shirt to mock Tommy LaSorda's big stomach. I don't see that kind of humor anymore, sadly.

[pacalo]

10. So sad! My husband & I have a World Series game recorded

in which he pitched against the Yankees. I think it was titled something like, "Mark 'The Bird' Fidrych Wows NY".

We watched just a small part of it before going to bed & now I'm anxious to see the rest of it. He was a good-looking guy & seemed to have a lot of personality.

Awwww...so sad to hear.

[louis-t]

22. Uhhh, I don't believe Fidrych ever pitched in a

World Series game. His career only lasted a couple of years. Tigers were not in a series until 1984, by which time he had been out of baseball for about 6 years.

[Faygo Kid]

25. He didn't. That was a Monday night baseball game, and took the nation by storm.

I'm sure the original poster has the game, but I guarantee you, as someone who can recite the lineup and stats of the 1961 Tigers' team from memory, it wasn't a World Series game.

It was, however, one of the great games in Tigers' history.

[pacalo]

28. I caught my error while I was googling for more info.

And it was the MLB channel, not ESPN, that was showing various World Series games this past weekend.

I'm glad they included one of Fidrych's games that same evening, though.

[louis-t]

42. It WAS a Monday night game. I'd forgotten.

I watched a game on ESPN Classic once. I didn't recognize the stadium. Fidrych was pitching. The seats and bleachers and support poles were green. It WAS Tiger Stadium, 1976. What was missing? The only place that had advertising was on the scoreboard.

[chelsea0011]

11. OMG!

[abq e streeter]

13. Very sad to hear of this--the Bird was a breath of fresh air like no one else

I've ever seen play baseball in my 57 years... and the talent to have been a hall of famer had he not been injured...RIP Bird; you were truly one a kind .

[Faygo Kid]

14. This lifelong Tigers fan is heartbroken.

There was no one like him before or since. I can't tell you how much joy he brought to Detroit that magical summer of 1976.

[Two Americas]

17. it was something, wasn't it?

Very sad that he is gone.

[Faygo Kid]

18. Here's a video link to an interview.

One of a kind. Unforgettable. http://www.detnews.com/article/20090413/SPORTS0104/904130432/Former+Tiger+Mark++The+Bird++Fidrych+dies+at+54

[Two Americas]

31. thanks

That is great. I was at Tiger Stadium for 22 games that year.

[goodgd_yall]

35. That was a pleasure to watch

It reminds me why I liked him so much.

[Triana]

15. DAMN registrations. I liked Fidrych - R.I.P. Mark! n/t

[endarkenment]

16. that's a damn shame

a really great guy and wonderful pitcher

[Crabby Appleton]

19. Crap

R.I.P. Mark

[maddogesq]

20. I am speechless and in tears.

This guy brought so much joy to Tiger fans both during and after his playing years. He talked to the baseball. He hand groomed the pitchers mound. At the closing ceremonies of Tiger Stadium, he took lumps of dirt from the pitchers mound.

[sufrommich]

21. Me too,maddogesq

A terrible day for Detroit baseball and it's fans.:cry:

[Faygo Kid]

24. He meant so much that summer of '76, I miss George Kell, too.

I was just married to my (now ex) wife who was pregnant, with our only child on the way (daughter, born that October). Turned 25 in September (sigh), and was making $11,000 as a Boy Scout professional (don't ask). The Bird was magical.

The memories never left, nor did the hope that somehow, his injured shoulder would heal, and he would again be a great pitcher. Never happened.

And George Kell was calling the games, and we just lost him, too. Very sad times, indeed, for those who remember it all so well.

[sufrommich]

26. It really has been a bad month for those of us old enough

to remember these old Tiger icons.Very,very sad.

[louis-t]

23. Saw one of the first games he pitched for the Tigers.

A guy called me and said "You gotta see this guy." He revived a sagging team and increased attendance. He also got me interested in baseball again.

[Swede]

27. Man,he had the world by the tail. RIP Mark.

funny how life plays out.

[Binka]

30. Sadly Swede NOBODY Has The World By The Tail

The world has each and everyone of us by the tail. RIP Mark you were the first of my many MLB crushes!:cry:

[rpannier]

29. Sad

He was fun to watch. I was in elem school in his rookie season.

It was great when the Tigers came to Oakland because he was fun to watch.

He and Goose Gossage were two examples of baseball being fun w/o needing alcohol.

[sarcasmo]

32. This Tiger fan loved watching the Bird. R.I.P

If you can find any video of the Bird take a look, even non Baseball fans will like the Bird and his antics.

[goodgd_yall]

34. I remember him well

He was known for being unconventional---his hair, his behavior. I enjoyed watching him play. I'm sorry to hear this. RIP, Mark.

[Amsterdam Hooligan]

36. I Met Mark....

at the "Beck Tavern" in Columbus, Ohio in 1982....we played some "foosball" and "pounded" a few beers together......great guy....RIP Mark

[alfredo]

37. He was fun to watch. RIP

[flyarm]

38. So sad..a great loss for baseball this week!! Rip for Mark and Harry...

My hubby played against Mark..I remember when Mark came up to the big leagues..he was so fun to watch..even for the opposing team!!...

We were friends with Harry..in fact we sat at a bar in Ft Lauderdale last spring with Harry and had lots of laughs!!

Hubby saw Harry all spring in ST..and said he did not look too well..in fact he was just telling me that a couple days ago..

They will both be sorely missed by their baseball family..

My kindest thoughts and prayers to their families, it is truely a sad day..and a sad week in Baseball.

There are no words I can say that can do justice, about the tragedy that took the young, young life of Nick Adenhart, I am truly sickened by this loss..beyond words. As a mother , I cannot say a thing that will make any sense of his loss, or that of the other two young people in the car with him..no parents should ever have to face the loss of their beautiful children, so senselessly. There just are no words.

Fly

[hadrons]

39. Horrible news ... when I got into baseball he was taking America by storm

Him and Boston's Fred Lynn were the young turks who really pumped life back into the game ... I even have the complete original broadcast of Fidrych's complete game against the Yankees recorded off beta in 1976 and a network newscast about him

[underpants]

40. The best story I ever heard about him .....

was that he got laid on the pitchers mound at the triple A team's field the night before he got called up

[JNelson6563]

41. So sad, my dad and I used to watch him

We so enjoyed him. :toast: