Tuesdays with Smitty: Remembering the Bird

By Aaron M Smith

Okay, it is not exactly Tuesday, but this class and the reading involved is killing me – so bear with me.  This past week has been a tough week for Major League Baseball fans. First with the death of Angel’s pitcher Nick Adenhart in a tragic car crash, followed by the deaths of legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas and pitcher Mark “The Bird” Fidrych.  So much has been written about Nick Adenhart and Harry Kalas, that I am not sure I can add anything additional. But this week at lunch, younger co-workers and I were discussing recent news items at lunch – when we started to talk about Mark Fidrych. To my surprise – neither knew who he was and I consider both to be avid baseball fans.

That is when I decided to set out and do additional research on the man. To my surprise, I was shocked to see that Fidrych was born and raised Worchester, MA area – about an hour from Boston. In 1974  he was taken in the 10th round by the Detroit Tigers.  It wasn’t until 1976 that Fidrych made the Tigers roster and didn’t start his first game until May of that year. But in that game, Fidrych pitched 7 innings of no hit ball as an emergency starter- winning  2-1. Immediately he was thrust in the starting rotation where he went on to win 19 games that year, earning American League Rookie of the Year award and finishing second in the Cy Young voting.

But Mark’s attraction wasn’t so much his pitching – it was his antics on the mound. Nicknamed “The Bird” by a minor league coach because of his resemblance to Big Bird on Sesame Street, Fidrych was known for his oddball behavior on the mound.  During the game, “The Bird” was known for manicuring the mound and cleaning off cleat marks.  He was known for both talking to himself and the ball. He was even known to throw balls back to the umpire – because they still had hits in them. His antics caught the imagination of fans and he became a hit – pardon the pun.  In fact Fidrych became the first athlete to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Unfortunately before the 1977 season, Mark injured his knee in spring training. After he returned from the knee injury, he complained about a dead arm. Unfortunately, that dead arm turned out to be torn rotator cuff.  To make matter worse, it would be 8 years before the injury was finally diagnosed by Dr. James Andrews.  Fidrych didn’t last long in the majors after that and was released by the Tigers in 1980. In 1981, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and played for their minor league team. Unsuccessful – he quickly retired and returned to Massachusetts. It was over.  As quick  as his rise to stardom, his crash was as equally great.

Since then he has lived in Massachusetts, living on a farm, managing his gravel business. As a kid – I was fascinated by the man. I mean anyone that talked to the ball and to himself on the mound – had to capture the attention of a young baseball fan. Right? I am trying to confirm this with my Dad, but I believe we had the opportunity to see  him pitch during one of those unsuccessful comebacks at Silver Stadium. Actually,  I am hoping that Casey can help with this.

On Monday, Fidrych died in a trucking accident on his farm – almost as strange and surreal as his rise to fame.  Had I known that he lived so close to Boston, I might have tried to get his autograph. To me, Fidrych represents everything that “coulda” and “shoulda”  happen with Major League baseball. Mark Fidrych “coulda” been great and for one brief season – he was.  “The Bird” shoulda  been around for a few more years for fans to enjoy and he isn’t.  Too bad – in light of the recent dark days of  Major League Baseball – they could use him.