"The Bird"
"The Bird"
It has been a while since Tigers fans have embraced a player like they did pitcher Mark Fidrych, aka "The Bird."
In 1976, Fidrych won the American League Rookie of the Year, leading the major leagues with a 2.34 ERA and a 19–9 record. But injuries plagued his career, which lasted just five seasons.
On Sunday at 10 p.m., this late Tigers player will be featured in a documentary aired on "MLB Network Presents: The Bird."
Julie Hinds of the Detroit Free Press writes:
The documentary had its local premiere in late June at a MotorCity Casino event attended by several hundred fans and some notable guests, including Fidrych's widow, Ann. But the Detroit Tigers legend probably would have been most tickled by Sunday's national airing, because he always was a sports star for the people. This, after all, was a player who could get 20,000 extra fans to show up for games on the strength of his charisma.
Fidrych was lanky and goofy, with a grin that lit up Tiger Stadium and an eccentric style on the field – talking to himself, hand-grooming the dirt on the pitcher's mound – that turned baseball into performance art. As a young fan says in a vintage clip, "He's so weird, he's good." He finished his debut season with a fantastic 19-9 record and a 2.34 ERA. But it was Fidrych's personality that made him famous.
Fidrych died in 2009 at age 54 from what appeared to be a freakish accident while trying to repair a dump truck.
