Mark "The Bird" Fidrych

One of my original baseball heroes, Mark "The Bird" Fidrych died today in Massachusetts. He was 54.

Fidrych captivated Detroit and Michigan in 1976 when he took baseball by storm. He won 19 times, completed 24 games, and had fun doing it.

The pitcher suffered an injury the next spring and was never a solid professional pitcher again. Many people believe he injured his arm in Spring Training 1977; however, it was his knee which was extended when he slipped shagging fly balls in Lakeland. He tried to return too soon from the injury and then injured his arm.

I was only four in the summer of '76, but the "Bird" drew me into baseball. He'll be missed.