Fidrych Passes
I cannot believe Mark “the Bird” Fidrych has passed away. He was a Detroit Tiger when their team was so bad they had to use discarded Expos second basemen (Gary Sutherland) to get through the year, they were so old it was hard to tell leather-faced manger Ralph Houk from the starting outfield (they were old, too).
He talked to the ball, to his hand, he walked around like a crazy bird and he was more than a little crazy.
And he was good. 19-9 on a team that won 74 games, and he would have had a wonderful career with that ridiculous talent if his arm hadn’t fallen off.
The story is here. He was a beauty.
Andy Kauffman comes to mind.
I was a kid when he was The Kid.
I can’t believe it either.
How is it that Loretta Lynn is the last one standing off that magazine cover?
Keith Richard is dead?
He just hasn’t stopped moving yet.
I’m sorry to have to do this to you:
http://www.learntheguitarnow.com/learn-guitar-blog/uploaded_images/keith-richards-771731.jpg
AND:
http://indieblogheaven.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/01/keith_richards_ny.jpg
Here’s a different rock icon:
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/Images/Phil%20Spector.jpg
I *just* missed his playing years as a fan, but stories of “The Bird” were staples in my (Red Sox) household in the summer. Can’t believe he wasn’t a leftie, all things considered. He’ll be missed.
“Keith Richard is dead?”
Starting about ’68,
he looked it.
The Bird and Spaceman Lee these guys made for interesting times for Baseball. had to run a gravel truck? I guess baseball did not pay back in the day
Dad always wanted Fidrych and Hrabosky on the same pitching staff.
Will never forget the Monday nite baseball game where Fidrych pitched a 5-1 win against the Yankees in 1976. Totally shut them down. What a character.
He was great for the game and a showman. Baseball misses guys like him who were genuine.
Considering Fidrych never made it past his first contract, he probably lost money playing baseball.
They didn’t use pitch counts back them and he was ruined by overuse. He once pitched 5 complete games in a row, and at least 2 of them were extra inning games. Plus they were pitched on only 3 days rest between starts.