He was just twenty-one when he sped into Detroit like a rocket. His career was short but he was a true free-spirit. I hope the last thirty years were bearable for him on his farm in Massachusetts. I will always remember seeing him pitch at Tiger Stadium against the Yankees in 1976 with my six-year old son and five-year old daughter. Fidrych’s star-making moment for us and all baseball fans came June 28 against the New York Yankees. In a nationally televised game on ABC’s ‘‘Monday Night Baseball’’ and in front of a crowd of 47,855 at Tiger Stadium, Fidrych pitched a complete-game seven-hitter, allowing just one run in the Tigers’ 5-1 victory. Strutting around the mound, talking to the baseball, and always engaging the crowd, he received a prolonged ovation after the final out, eventually returning to the field to acknowledge the raucous cheers.
It was truly magic. R.I. P.
11 comments:
I never saw him pitch in person, but did on TV a couple of times. Great potential, and a lot of fun to watch him talking to the ball.
Phillies announces Harry Kalas died right before their game in DC today. It's been a tough past week for baseball.
These deaths, along with that of the promising young pitcher for the Angels. Yes, a tough week for baseball.
Lesa Holstine
http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com
Only ever saw 'The Bird' on tv, but he was something special. Sad, sad days for baseball.
By all reports The Bird was happy and content in his "retirement."
Not so much a farming as mechanical repair accident...at least as NPR reported it, his truck fell on him.
Too bad. Sounds like he had enjoyed himself, though.
God. Didn't even know that could happen. Maybe on uneven land and the brake failed.
I haven't read any of the accounts yet, but if he had been working on a car, I'd guess he'd had it up on jack stands and they failed. That happened to my father once, pinning his hand.
Yes, given the vagueness of the accounts still, I suspect you're right, and he was rolled over (the NPR reports just said "truck" so I was thinking pickup or something similar, while the BOSTONG GLOBE and AP accounts make it clear, and the later radio reports as well, that it was a big dumptruck...not going to get that up on jack stands.
It's been a rough week for MLB. I join you in lamenting Fidrych's passing. He was a true entertainer. Speaking of which, I heard that he was the first athlete to grace the cover of Rolling Stone.
He was such a treat in a not very good year for the Tigers.
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