Mark Fidrych Found Dead (1 Viewer)

[Limp Ditka]

CBS sports reporting he was found dead under a pickup at his home

 

[jamny]

Sad...loved "The Bird" back in his day. rip.

 

[SofaKings]

Oh noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Eephus]

Wow, what a sucky week for the game.

Fidrych was a phenomenon in the summer of 1976

 

[Limp Ditka]

BOSTON -- Former All-Star pitcher Mark "The Bird" Fidrych has been found dead in an apparent accident at his farm in Northborough, Mass. 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.

 

[jamny]

 

[The Man With No Name]

For those too young to have been around then when there was no Sportscenter or daily sports shows, he was talked about everywhere on network tv, and sports news in every town from Miami to Seattle, Maine to Baja.

 

[Sonny Lubick Blowup Doll]

Bummer.

The game could use some color like him...

 

[Eephus]

For those too young to have been around then when there was no Sportscenter or daily sports shows, he was talked about everywhere on network tv, and sports news in every town from Miami to Seattle, Maine to Baja.

Yeah, he transcended the game for a couple of months in a way that may not be possible nowadays.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

I posted this in the thread in the FFA, but I guess it'll get more attention here among the true baseball fans.

I just taped his 1976 game vs the Yankees and I was meaning to watch it last week. I've never seen that game, and the legend he created for himself as a Tiger is everlasting like few Detroit athletes could ever imagine. My dad said he was the best thing he ever saw in baseball, a true gem who made the game fun for everyone. His career ending so soon was a shame, this is just heartbreaking. I'm really sad.

 

[whoknew]

Sad. RIP the Byrd.

I wonder if his career would have been different if we'd've had the medical knowledge/pitcher abuse info for young pitchers that teams have now.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

RIP Bird

Great Bio here

As a virtually unknown rookie in 1976, Mark Fidrych posted a league leading 2.34 ERA and won 19 games despite spending the first month of the season in the minor leagues. "The Bird" became a media darling because of his crazy antics, such as talking to himself and aiming the ball, insisting that balls that had "hits in them" be taken out of the game, and smoothing cleat marks on the mound. He began the 1977 season where he left off, but injured his arm when he continued to pitch with a knee problem. For seven years he tried to make a comeback but he never could regain his old form. In 1985, it was revealed that he had torn his rotator cuff nearly all the way through

Quotes About Mark Fidrych

"When he starts pitching, the other clubs in the league will be calling up the Red Sox asking them to start him in their park. They'll be sending me cases of scotch to change the pitching rotation!" %#151 Red Sox manager Ralph Houk on the attempted comeback by Mark Fidrych in 1982

Quotes From Mark Fidrych

"I don't talk to the ball. Sure, I say things like 'flow' and 'snap it off,' but I'm talking to myself, not the ball." — Mark Fidrych, explaining his antics on the mound

 

[Man In The Box]

Damn, they say they come in threes.....

RIP Bird

 

[cosjobs]

Classic baseball character. Very sad to hear of this.

I will go outside and kick my truck in his honor.

 

[Greco]

RIP. He WAS baseball in Detroit in 1976. Very fond memories. I got to meet him that summer when I was 12 years old. I asked him who he thought was the best hitter he ever faced. He told me Rod Carew, but that Reggie Jackson scared him to death.

 

[teamramrod]

My third grade teacher finagled a bus and took us to see him pitch against the red sox. he beat them.

GDAMN it....

RIP Mark. I love ya man....

Peace