Mark Fidrych
From BR Bullpen
Mark Steven Fidrych (The Bird)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3", Weight 175 lb.
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[edit] Biographical Information
Nicknamed "The Bird" because of his resemblance to Big Bird, pitcher Mark Fidrych was one of baseball's all time greatest quirky characters. His idiosyncracies included talking to the ball, shaking the hands of his infielders after a good play, and patting the mound to smooth it out.
He burst on to the major league scene in 1976, winning 19 games with the Detroit Tigers. He was the American League Rookie of the Year and the runner-up for the Cy Young Award. However, his time at the top of the game was short as he was plagued with arm injuries.
In 1977, he was limited to 11 starts after tearing cartilage in his knee in spring training. He appeared in only 16 games in the next three seasons. In the 1980s, he attempted a comeback with the Boston Red Sox but never played in the majors again.
Appeared in Neil Simon's 1985 movie, "The Slugger's Wife"
After his playing days he went back to being a farmer.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1976 AL Rookie of the Year Award
- 1976 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 2-time AL All-Star (1976 & 1977)
- AL ERA Leader (1976)
- AL Complete Games Leader (1976)
- 15 Win Seasons: 1 (1976)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1976)
| AL Rookie of the Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
| Fred Lynn | Mark Fidrych | Eddie Murray |
[edit] Further Reading
- Thomas Boswell: "Seasons of the Hill: Comebacks and Roller Coasters" in Why Time Begins on Opening Day, Penguin Books, New York, 1984, pp. 135-141
