Bird, Bird, Bird is the word!
April 13, 2009 3:56 PM Subscribe
Mark "The Bird" Fidrych RIP. They really do come in threes. In '76, Bird was the word. Fidrych captivated baseball fans with his antics, talking to the ball, patting the mound, running off to talk to everyone. The Bird 1954-2009.
The Algonquin Tomahawks salute you.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 4:03 PM on April 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by kuujjuarapik at 4:03 PM on April 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
Oh hell. He was the reason I even began to notice baseball when I was a kid.
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posted by The Light Fantastic at 4:06 PM on April 13, 2009
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posted by The Light Fantastic at 4:06 PM on April 13, 2009
LSK, some people know these folks. Fidrych was from the Berkshires, where I lived at the time.
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posted by beagle at 4:07 PM on April 13, 2009
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posted by beagle at 4:07 PM on April 13, 2009
Dangit. I was raised less than a mile from Tiger Stadium. Although Micky Lolich was my childhood pitching hero, no one brought attention to the game and sold tickets like The Bird. RIP.
posted by The Deej at 4:11 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by The Deej at 4:11 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Peter Griffin reportedly inconsolable.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 4:11 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 4:11 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Darn it. I really liked that guy.
I notice this happens on the same day that MSNBC laments, "Where have baseball's characters gone?"
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:21 PM on April 13, 2009
I notice this happens on the same day that MSNBC laments, "Where have baseball's characters gone?"
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:21 PM on April 13, 2009
Deej, as somebody who lives just up Trumbull from "Old" Tiger Stadium, I hear ya.
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posted by joe lisboa at 4:25 PM on April 13, 2009
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posted by joe lisboa at 4:25 PM on April 13, 2009
He was half True Eccentric with his grooming the mound and muttering to the ball, and half old-style New Englander who was a flinty cheapskate and refused to lose his perspective. And I thought he was awesome for both qualities.
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:36 PM on April 13, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:36 PM on April 13, 2009 [3 favorites]
When the story talks about dying in an accident on his farm and being found under a truck, that doesn't sound too good.
posted by dead cousin ted at 4:44 PM on April 13, 2009
posted by dead cousin ted at 4:44 PM on April 13, 2009
Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that. He was one of a kind.
posted by languagehat at 4:46 PM on April 13, 2009
posted by languagehat at 4:46 PM on April 13, 2009
So strange. I was reading this online article -- 'Where have baseball’s characters gone?' -- this morning and acually thought of Fidrych. By the afternnon I learned he'd died.
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posted by ericb at 4:59 PM on April 13, 2009
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posted by ericb at 4:59 PM on April 13, 2009
Dang, all these people I don't know are dying.
It's okay to admit your ignorance. Take the time to learn some new things. That's one of the primary benefits of MetaFilter.
posted by ericb at 5:06 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's okay to admit your ignorance. Take the time to learn some new things. That's one of the primary benefits of MetaFilter.
posted by ericb at 5:06 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Awww, shit - my homie. After he retired, I served him beers a few times when I was tending bar ... he seemed like an amiable regular guy, no airs about him. Some local color and reminiscing in this story.
There were 1,747 noncrash vehicle fatalities last year, with more than half of those involving a vehicle falling on a person. Farm work is risky business.
posted by madamjujujive at 5:44 PM on April 13, 2009
There were 1,747 noncrash vehicle fatalities last year, with more than half of those involving a vehicle falling on a person. Farm work is risky business.
posted by madamjujujive at 5:44 PM on April 13, 2009
This is a sucky day for baseball.
On the plus side, the Rays are killing the Yankees
posted by dirigibleman at 5:48 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
On the plus side, the Rays are killing the Yankees
posted by dirigibleman at 5:48 PM on April 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
I remember reading Bruce Shlain's book about the Mark Fidrych and other crazy people of baseball when I was six or seven. I think Shlain's book was the first book I read again and again. I guess I really am a stickler for biographies and autobiographies because the second book that happened with was the Basketball Diaries. Granted, the second book isn't a sports biography, but it was awesome to an 11-year-old.
posted by parmanparman at 6:00 PM on April 13, 2009
posted by parmanparman at 6:00 PM on April 13, 2009
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posted by schyler523 at 6:20 PM on April 13, 2009
posted by schyler523 at 6:20 PM on April 13, 2009
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What a terrific summer the Bird gave me his rookie year. I guess he bought the farm...
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:23 PM on April 13, 2009
What a terrific summer the Bird gave me his rookie year. I guess he bought the farm...
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:23 PM on April 13, 2009
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The Bird and Dock Ellis within a few months of each other? It's just not right.
(I listen to a lot of police/fire scanner activity and I actually heard this call, but didn't know it was him at the time!)
posted by rollbiz at 6:28 PM on April 13, 2009
The Bird and Dock Ellis within a few months of each other? It's just not right.
(I listen to a lot of police/fire scanner activity and I actually heard this call, but didn't know it was him at the time!)
posted by rollbiz at 6:28 PM on April 13, 2009
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He lived not far from me and he owned a dump truck with his name on the side and if you drove on the highways around here you would see him hauling dirt and rocks around.
posted by lilkeith07 at 6:37 PM on April 13, 2009
He lived not far from me and he owned a dump truck with his name on the side and if you drove on the highways around here you would see him hauling dirt and rocks around.
posted by lilkeith07 at 6:37 PM on April 13, 2009
I was 13 years old and living near Detroit in 1976. I distinctly remember sitting down with my whole family in front of the TV to watch him pitch. He seemed adjusted to being a regular guy. From the article in the first link:
He never even slightly suggested any regrets of his injuries. He was just happy to have the time he had in sports. He considered himself a lucky man.
“He bought his farm. He married the woman he was in love with and had a beautiful daughter.”
posted by marxchivist at 6:58 PM on April 13, 2009
He never even slightly suggested any regrets of his injuries. He was just happy to have the time he had in sports. He considered himself a lucky man.
“He bought his farm. He married the woman he was in love with and had a beautiful daughter.”
posted by marxchivist at 6:58 PM on April 13, 2009
This was the first full season I got into baseball. Was hooked on the '75 series and this hit. '77 South Side Hitmen sealed the deal.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:18 PM on April 13, 2009
posted by Ironmouth at 7:18 PM on April 13, 2009
The curly haired right-hander was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1976 when he went 19-9 with a 2.34 ERA and 24 complete games.
24 complete games? That means he either lost or had a no decision in 6 complete games. Insane. A lot less relievers back then, I guess.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:22 PM on April 13, 2009
24 complete games? That means he either lost or had a no decision in 6 complete games. Insane. A lot less relievers back then, I guess.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:22 PM on April 13, 2009
Damn. One of my favorite characters, also.
(Cruel god, keep your hands off Bill Lee.)
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posted by rokusan at 8:30 PM on April 13, 2009
(Cruel god, keep your hands off Bill Lee.)
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posted by rokusan at 8:30 PM on April 13, 2009
That means he either lost or had a no decision in (5) complete games.
Not necessarily. In theory, he could've gone 19-9 with 24 complete games and had 134 no-decisions, if he appeared in literally every game. From just that data presented (19-9, 24 complete games), we can't calculate the number of no-decisions, although the average starter makes about 28-34 starts.
I can't remember if you call it a complete game after 9 consecutive innings, or if the game has to end. I think it's the former. But if the latter, you can't have a no-decision and a complete game -- someone has to win.
But 24 complete games. Holy smokes. That's part of the reason he didn't have a super-long career. They just wore his ass down, like Fernando Valenzuela.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:34 PM on April 13, 2009
Not necessarily. In theory, he could've gone 19-9 with 24 complete games and had 134 no-decisions, if he appeared in literally every game. From just that data presented (19-9, 24 complete games), we can't calculate the number of no-decisions, although the average starter makes about 28-34 starts.
I can't remember if you call it a complete game after 9 consecutive innings, or if the game has to end. I think it's the former. But if the latter, you can't have a no-decision and a complete game -- someone has to win.
But 24 complete games. Holy smokes. That's part of the reason he didn't have a super-long career. They just wore his ass down, like Fernando Valenzuela.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:34 PM on April 13, 2009
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I was never a big baseball fan because it seemed too slow, but I really liked Bird because he was so much fun to watch and made the game interesting.
posted by mike3k at 9:13 PM on April 13, 2009
I was never a big baseball fan because it seemed too slow, but I really liked Bird because he was so much fun to watch and made the game interesting.
posted by mike3k at 9:13 PM on April 13, 2009
I met Mark a few years ago while having breakfast at Chet's Diner in his hometown of Northboro, MA. Just a couple of middle aged guys at the diner counter shooting the shit, and we didn't talk baseball at all. He was a good guy.
posted by ArgentineBlonde at 9:32 PM on April 13, 2009
posted by ArgentineBlonde at 9:32 PM on April 13, 2009
I'm convinced I saw with my little kid's eyes Rod Carew bat against Mark Fidrych at Memorial Stadium in 1976 .
There's nothing in Major League Baseball today to come within a mile of touching that. Shoot your steroids, earn your millions, and bore your fans, 21st-century baseball players. I saw what I saw, and it's done and it's over. I'm not interested anymore. Peace, Mark Fidrych.
posted by gum at 10:31 PM on April 13, 2009
There's nothing in Major League Baseball today to come within a mile of touching that. Shoot your steroids, earn your millions, and bore your fans, 21st-century baseball players. I saw what I saw, and it's done and it's over. I'm not interested anymore. Peace, Mark Fidrych.
posted by gum at 10:31 PM on April 13, 2009
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posted by Smart Dalek at 6:09 AM on April 14, 2009
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:09 AM on April 14, 2009
I don't know who I should resent more: MacFarlane for putting the worm in my brain, or caddis for tickling it.
Soon, this will be "below the fold" and looking at MeFi will be safe once again.
posted by hippybear at 8:24 AM on April 14, 2009
Soon, this will be "below the fold" and looking at MeFi will be safe once again.
posted by hippybear at 8:24 AM on April 14, 2009
. for me
and
. for my mom ('cause she loved loved loved him.)
posted by ameliajayne at 10:12 AM on April 14, 2009
and
. for my mom ('cause she loved loved loved him.)
posted by ameliajayne at 10:12 AM on April 14, 2009
I remember going to a game in either '79 or '80 in Tiger Stadium and he walked from the dugout to the bullpen during the game and the whole section he passed stood up and cheered for him like he had just shutout the Yankees. He acknowledged the cheers by yelling back and waving and carrying on. It was an incredible experience.
posted by zzazazz at 3:42 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by zzazazz at 3:42 PM on April 14, 2009
Aww, I just saw this. I was too young to see him play, but he's part of Tigers lore.
"I can't remember if you call it a complete game after 9 consecutive innings, or if the game has to end. I think it's the former. But if the latter, you can't have a no-decision and a complete game -- someone has to win.
But 24 complete games. Holy smokes. That's part of the reason he didn't have a super-long career. They just wore his ass down, like Fernando Valenzuela.""
Yeah, a complete game means that the same pitcher starts and finishes—no relief. And you're right about Fidrych and Valenzuela. Although I make mumblings about how current pitchers are prima donnas, the old theory of pitching, that you should just get as many pitches as humanly possible out of the guy, just ground down pitchers and destroyed them.
posted by klangklangston at 5:53 PM on April 14, 2009
"I can't remember if you call it a complete game after 9 consecutive innings, or if the game has to end. I think it's the former. But if the latter, you can't have a no-decision and a complete game -- someone has to win.
But 24 complete games. Holy smokes. That's part of the reason he didn't have a super-long career. They just wore his ass down, like Fernando Valenzuela.""
Yeah, a complete game means that the same pitcher starts and finishes—no relief. And you're right about Fidrych and Valenzuela. Although I make mumblings about how current pitchers are prima donnas, the old theory of pitching, that you should just get as many pitches as humanly possible out of the guy, just ground down pitchers and destroyed them.
posted by klangklangston at 5:53 PM on April 14, 2009
I had never head of Fidrych until I stumbled across this Where Are They Now? article in SI several years ago.After reading it, I became a huge fan. It's a great story of an athlete who kept the fun in baseball and stayed the same joyful, eccentric man, no matter what the circumstances. RIP, Bird.
posted by emd3737 at 8:13 PM on April 14, 2009
posted by emd3737 at 8:13 PM on April 14, 2009
I love the video at the end of the freep article.
posted by not_on_display at 4:49 PM on April 21, 2009
posted by not_on_display at 4:49 PM on April 21, 2009
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posted by LSK at 4:00 PM on April 13, 2009