Appreciation – Mark “The Bird” Fidrych

Driving home from work last night, I heard the reporter on NPR announce that Mark Fidrych had passed at his home in Massachusetts.  My heart sunk.

I was just 5 years old (1976) when Mark became a Tiger, yet I remember him vividly.  Talking to the ball, grooming the pitcher’s mound and his unusual delivery with that high leg kick.  As a kid just discovering baseball with my grandfather, I was enthralled!  My very first baseball glove was “signed” by The Bird and I couldn’t have been any more proud of anything I owned at the time than that piece of leather!  He actually had to re-teach me how to throw correctly as all I wanted to do was imitate my favorite Tiger.

As most Tiger and baseball fans know he would go on that season to a 19-9 record, place 2nd in “Cy Young” voting and win the “AL Rookie of the Year”.  The excitement was building in this city around him and then he took the mound one fateful day in July during his second season and suffered the shoulder injury that would lead him eventually out of baseball. (The injury was actually brought on by a knee problem he suffered during spring training - he changed his delivery slightly to adjust to the knee) He’d stay on the roster through 1980, but was never the same.

Through his fleeting moment of celebrity, he remained the same.  Humble, joyful and a hard worker.  I think he genuinely appreciated Detroit and Detroit will always remember the excitement he brought to this town everytime he stepped on the mound during that all to brief of a career.

Here is two nice pieces on Mark from Boston.com and an older bio from ESPN.

Between his passing and that of George Kell a few weeks ago, it’s been a sad few weeks for Tiger fans!  But we always have the memories!