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RIP Mark "The Bird" Fidrych


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Wow, we absolutely loved "The Bird" growing up. He was such a character. What an amazing season he had in 1976 as a rookie. We would get so excited when we could catch a game he was pitching. My brother and I would take turns getting to "be him" and pitch to each other.

 

That sucks, sounds like a tragic accident.

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Next time somebody starts going on about the good old days in baseball when pitchers pitched every inning of every game, just point out how over use killed Fidrych's arm after a season and a half.

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I like how he considered balls to "have hits in them". It says on Wiki that he was making league minimum $16,500 his rookie season. Quite a bargain.

 

"That ball has a hit in it, so I want it to get back in the ball bag and goof around with the other balls in there. Maybe it'll learn some sense and come out as a pop-up next time."
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Worcester DA: Former pitcher Fidrych died of suffocation

April 16, 2009 02:23 PM

 

The death this week in Northborough of Mark Fidrych, the former Detroit Tigers pitcher known for his charm and on-the-mound antics, has been ruled an accident, the Worcester district attorney announced today.

 

Fidrych, 54, who was found dead Monday under a Mack dump truck at his West Street farm, died of suffocation, District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said in a statement.

 

Fidrych appeared to have been working on the truck when his clothes became tangled in the truck's power takeoff shaft, Early said. The state medical examiner performed an autopsy earlier this week.

 

Fidrych, who was known as "The Bird," won 19 games as a rookie in 1976 but had his pitching career abbreviated by injuries. He had worked in trucking and construction since his baseball career ended in 1983.

 

Fidrych's funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the First Parish Unitarian Church, 40 Church St., Northborough. Calling hours will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the church. Burial will be private.

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Worcester DA: Former pitcher Fidrych died of suffocation

April 16, 2009 02:23 PM

 

The death this week in Northborough of Mark Fidrych, the former Detroit Tigers pitcher known for his charm and on-the-mound antics, has been ruled an accident, the Worcester district attorney announced today.

 

Fidrych, 54, who was found dead Monday under a Mack dump truck at his West Street farm, died of suffocation, District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said in a statement.

 

Fidrych appeared to have been working on the truck when his clothes became tangled in the truck's power takeoff shaft, Early said. The state medical examiner performed an autopsy earlier this week.

 

Fidrych, who was known as "The Bird," won 19 games as a rookie in 1976 but had his pitching career abbreviated by injuries. He had worked in trucking and construction since his baseball career ended in 1983.

 

Fidrych's funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the First Parish Unitarian Church, 40 Church St., Northborough. Calling hours will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the church. Burial will be private.

 

Yikes, I figured the truck fell off the jacks on him. Somehow this seems worse.

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