Tiger fans loved few players as much as Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. He entered Spring Training without a job, did not join the rotation until May, and ended up starting the All Star Game for the American League. The public enjoyed Fidrych’s mound antics and his appearance reminded them of Sesame Street’s Big Bird. He became a national phenomenon by the middle of 1976, but injury the following Spring Training cut his career short. As a result, Fidrych represented a shooting star and fan favorite.
Mark Fidrych entered Spring Training 1976 as a non-roster invitee. He made the team as a reliever despite long odds. Fidrych did not make his first start until the middle of May. He filled in for an ailing teammate, tossed a two-hitter, and secured a spot in the rotation. The victories mounted for Fidrych and the press took note. The non-roster invitee led the league in ERA (2.34) and complete games (24) while winning 19 games for the Tigers. He finished with a 1.079 WHIP, won the Rookie of the Year, and the city loved him.
Fidrych endeared himself with fans through his mound antics. He talked to himself and the ball while on the mound. He played in the dirt and looked like a giant bird with his flowing curly golden hair. As a result, fans nicknamed him “the Bird” for his resemblance to the Sesame Street character.
The Bird’s signature moment came on June 28 when he defeated the eventual American League champion Yankees on ABC’s Monday Night Baseball. The Yankees never had a shot against Fidrych in the game, which he won 5-1. Throughout the contest, he demonstrated all the quirks which made him a fan favorite. After the game ended, he blew kisses to the crowd which demanded him return to the field and take a bow.
At season’s end, Baltimore’s Jim Palmer bested the Bird for the Cy Young Award. In consolation, Fidrych won the AL Rookie of the Year, Tiger of the Year, and endorsement deals. Unfortunately for the pitcher and his fans, success proved fleeting. In Spring Training 1977, he injured himself messing around in the outfield. He tried returning from the injury too soon and experienced a dead arm. He tried to make several comebacks, but retired in 1981. Four years later, he was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff. By 1985, the damage proved too severe for a comeback.
When Tiger Stadium closed in 1999, Mark Fidrych led a host of former Tiger stars onto the field for a post game ceremony. The fans erupted in ecstasy. It seemed fitting that Fidrych lead the final charge. In the end, he was a fan himself. Tiger fans embraced Fidrych not as a star, but as one of their own.
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