Both companies denied the claims and the case went to court, where several new defendants were named in a maze of finger-pointing chronicled in hundreds of pages of motions in Worcester Superior Court. If not with his truck he was working on the farm, sunrise to sunset, Ms. Pantazis testified, noting that when she was able to get him to relax one trip to France, another to Sweden she had to drag him away. Aside from fixing up his farmhouse, he works as a contractor . Roger J. Brunelle, Ms. Pantazis lawyer, said Friday he still believes someone should be held liable for the death. Between August 29 and September 17, Fidrych lost three consecutive decisions, bringing his record to 169.[30]. Mine shows Lisu's Sig on 2 lines. Mark Fidrych pitches on "Monday Night Baseball". San Francisco Giants hitting coach Carney Lansford's first three seasons, with the California Angels, coincided with Fidrych's last three in the majors. At age 29, he was forced to retire. But case law in Massachusetts protects companies from being held liable for problems caused by products they did not make. He appeared to have been working on the truck, Early said. I was an invitee. Lawyers for the companies Ms. Fidrych sued noted that, in Mr. Amorellos opinion, Mr. Fidrych would have known the dangers of climbing under a truck when the components were spinning. He was 54. First one there every day, Joseph Amorello, whose company hired Mr. Fidrych for 15 seasons, told lawyers. He and Ann, his wife of 2 1/2 years, have a 19-month-old daughter, Jessica Lee. Mr. Fidrych bought the Mack truck under which he died in 1987 for $86,000 an investment that, with hard work, paid for itself many times over. Over beers, he was soon asked: So what are you doing with yourself these days? "When he got to us in late June every place he pitched in the league was a sellout. If you click them and [28][29], On July 29 and August 7, Fidrych threw consecutive six-hit complete games. He was, however, praised for having exceptional control (compiling a walk rate of 1.77 per 9 IP over his first two seasons), and for having good late movement on his pitches while keeping the ball down and inducing many ground balls. Our special needs programs are infull swing with many exciting new programs such as Fitness and middle school level Unified Sports programming. While these "curtain calls" have become more common in modern sports, they were less so in mid-1970s baseball. Fidrych pitched a complete game, 7-5 win. He was a little nave, just a sweet kid, really, Harwell said. Tue., April 14, 2009. He married the woman he was in love with and had a beautiful daughter.". Fidrych was cremated and a funeral was held in Fidrych's honor. Tragically, in 2009, at age 54, Fidrychs life ended, fittingly enough, in a very bizarre way. "I found him under the truck. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The 1976 American League Rookie of the Year was found dead underneath the 10-wheel truck by a friend on April 13, 2009. After the game, Indians player Rico Carty said, Fidrych was trying to hypnotize them.. After days of trying to get hold of The Bird, I almost gave up. Mark Steven Fidrych (/ f d r t / FID-rich; August 14, 1954 - April 13, 2009), nicknamed "The Bird", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) baseball pitcher.He pitched his entire career for the Detroit Tigers (1976-1980).. Massachusetts, where he lived with his wife Ann and daughter Jessica on a 107-acre farm. Fidrych was named the rookie of the year in the American League and finished second to Jim Palmer in the race for the Cy Young Award. Fidrych's tomb stone will read "August 14, 1954-April 13, 2009". [56], At the time of his death he was about to be inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. Before a sellout crowd and millions more watching at home, Fidrych was electric that June 28 night, winning, 5-1. Called the fidgety, 6-foot-3 bundle of nerves by The New York Times, Fidrych had a mop of golden curls and a gawky gait that prompted a minor league manager, Jeff Hogan, to compare him to Big Bird, the Sesame Street character. "He was tending bar in the back, with like two or three stools," says Dave Boothe, who grew up in Northgate, the same neighborhood as Fidrych, right off I-35. Famous for his good humor and generosity, Mr. Fidrych couldnt say no to anybody who asked for help with charity work, his wife recalled. He grew up in the town of Northboro, Massachusetts, where his father was a public-school teacher. Nationality: Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. There had never been another pitcher like him in MLB history, and there hasnt been another one since. "The Bird" was the American League rookie of the year in 1976 when he went 19-9 with . "He was almost too down to earth," Tamburro said. 2012 - Make Your Mark Softball Tournament, 1976 Mark Pitches and WINS over the Yankees, Citizenship Award Background and Criteria, June 19, 2009, Ann Fidrych, widow of Mark Fidrych and her daughter, Jessica Fidrych tending the mound before throwing out the first pitch at Comerica Park. Filed in 2012, three years after Mr. Fidrych died underneath his 1987 Mack dump truck, the suit accused multiple companies that made parts for or serviced the truck of shirking their duties to inform him of the danger it posed. In one week, Fidrych turned away five people who wanted to be his agent, saying, "Only I know my real value and can negotiate it. After he left baseball, Mark Fidrych returned to his roots in Northborough, Massachusetts, where he lived with his wife Ann and daughter Jessica on a 107-acre farm. The auxiliary shaft was a generic part of unknown origin; Ms. Pantazis' lawyer argued the PTO maker, Parker-Hannifin, could still be held liable because the company knew such shafts were likely to be attached to its product. That was neat, especially seeing friends and family yelling at the TV when announcers incorrectly said Fidrych was from Worcester. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Joseph Amorello said he had stopped by the farm to chat with Fidrych when he found the body underneath the 10-wheel truck. The Massachusetts State Police began an investigation into the accident, he said. Fidrych pitched well, allowing two earned runs (a two-run home run by Carl Yastrzemski) in eight innings, but Luis Tiant shut out the Tigers, and Fidrych received his first major league loss.[7]. It was narrated by Detroit native Tom Selleck and will premiere on MLB Network at 10 p.m. on July 10. April 13, 2009 (aged 54) Massachusetts. He was a remarkable character. About 10 years ago, Dirk Baker, the baseball coach at D-III Worcester State -- where Fidrych's father played and Jessica is still a student -- asked Mark, who was drafted by the Tigers out of high school, if he wanted to be the team's pitching coach. Mark answered, "The only time that happens is when it's going over the fence, it yells back to me that I shouldn't have thrown that pitch.". A cheer went up from the crowd when Fidrych pawed at the dirt on the mound. He tore knee cartilage during spring training the following year and was placed on the disabled list until May 24. "One of the things that made this so rewarding, is you find out what hope is true is true in that Mark Fidrych was a good guy. . He was named the starter, at the time becoming just the second rookie to start an All-Star game following Dave Stenhouse in 1962. The Bird was a journalist's dream, in so many words. He is funny. but he insisted that he had no regrets, returned to Northboro, married and had a daughter, then . It's a shame." On May 31, Fidrych pitched an 11-inning, complete-game victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Worcester County district attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said a family friend found Fidrych about 2:30 p.m. Monday beneath a dump truck in Northborough, Mass., about 35 miles west of Boston. After 1976, he played in only 27 games through 1980. June 19, 2009, Ann Fidrych, widow of Mark Fidrych and her daughter, Jessica Fidrych tending the mound before throwing out the first pitch at Comerica Park. [57] He was inducted posthumously on June 18, 2009. On April 15, 2009, the Tigers paid tribute to Fidrych at Comerica Park with a moment of silence and a video of the beloved pitcher before the game. Immediately Graig jumped out of the batter's box and started talking to his bat. [9] Fidrych continued to pitch well heading into the All-Star break: Fidrych was named to the 1976 AL All-Star team; the game was played on July 13 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. He was considered for the role of the jock Tom Chisum in Grease, a role that ultimately went to Lorenzo Lamas. Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, whose offbeat antics electrified the city of Detroit and charmed . Fidrych would swagger around the grass after every out and was finicky about baseballs, refusing to reuse one if an opposing player got a hit, and rejecting fresh ones he declared to have dents. [54] In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that the companies in question did provide warnings and that their equipment was free of design defects. He allowed two runs in the first inning and put runners at second and third in the second, but he got the final two outs and left after two innings trailing 2-0. and Willie Horton; from Jim Leyland (Fidrych's old minor-league manager who said opposing teams used to beg the Tigers to pitch Fidrych against them to boost ticket sales) and Bob Uecker; from Dennis Eckersley and Lou Piniella to writers from Rolling Stone, which made Fidrych the only baseball player ever to appear on the magazine's cover. A quote machine that seemed to have magically appeared in the majors wearing cutoffs and Converse. When not working on the farmhouse, Fidrych worked as a contractor hauling gravel and asphalt in a ten-wheeler dump truck. Known for his quirky antics on the mound, Fidrych led the major leagues with a 2.34 ERA in 1976, won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year award, and finished with a 199 record. said the 34-year-old Fidrych from his 121-acre farm in Northboro. Mark A. Fidrych, beloved husband for 33 years of Joy (Ravenelle) Fidrych, of Ranger Road, Westerly, passed away surrounded by his loving family at L&M Hospital in New London on Wednesday, October 9, 2019. He was 54. . It's just horrible," former Orioles pitcher and Hall of Famer Jim Palmer said. Mark Steven Fidrych was born Aug. 15, 1954, in Worcester, Mass. I dialed 911 and that's all I could do. The Tigers let Fidrych go after the 1981 season, and after a few failed comeback attempts, he retired at 29. No matter. [23] Fidrych gave up two earned runs in the first inning, none in the second, and took the loss. Fidrych Remembered for Remarkable Season and Endearing Antics. "Two of my favorite kinds of stories are stories about names and events that you know and you think you know, but there's more to it than that," Cornblatt said. He went around town gathering garbage and used it to feed the pigs on his farm on West Street. He was down-to-earth. On Saturday, July24, Fidrych surrendered four earned runs on nine hits and lasted only 4.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}13innings; John Hiller got the win for the Tigers in long relief on the Game of the Week. Mark Fidrych, 21, threw a no-hitter through six innings, finally giving up a hit, a single, in the seventh. "In the two years he was here," Hall of Famer Al Kaline would say, "he was probably the most popular Detroit Tiger there has ever been.". In 1981 the Tigers released him. A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday at the same church, followed by private burial. The documentary is narrated beautifully by Detroit native Tom Selleck, and also includes heart-tugging interviews with Fidrych's daughter, Jessica, and wife, Ann. His wife, Ann, whom he married in 1986, and a daughter, Jessica, survive him. My customers rely on me.". Contact Brad Petrishen at brad.petrishen@telegram.com. April 14, 2009. The kids weren't completely sure who The Bird was, but given that he'd arrived 15 minutes early, the guest of honor went ahead and bought the players' star-struck coaches a round at the pub downstairs. To pay off his mortgage he set to work pouring cement for swimming pools. The Tigers edged the Rangers, 4-3, on August 11 as Fidrych notched his 13th win over Gaylord Perry.Six days later, the Tigers drew a season-high 51,822 fans as Fidrych went to 14-4, beating opposing pitcher Frank Tanana 3-2. He was removed from the game after 5.2 innings right after Eddie Murray hit a two-run home run. From. Then I realized that Mark Fidrych, of course, was simply listed in the local phone book. [58][59], On June 19, 2009, Jessica Fidrych honored her father at Comerica Park by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to manager Jim Leyland for the Tigers game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Six years after his great year he was still selling out minor league parks," said Pawtucket team president Mike Tamburro, who was general manager when Fidrych played there. Fidrych was found dead in an apparent accident at his farm in Northborough, Mass. Fidrych was inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals of the Baseball Reliquary in 2002.[55]. Algonquin High pays tribute to 'Fid'. April 14, 2009 12 AM PT. dam, that sucks. On July 29 and August 7, Fidrych threw consecutive six-hit complete games. Mark Fidrych, who was given his nickname The Bird from a coach while pitching in Detroits minor-league system because his 6-foot-3-inch frame and mopped hairstyle looked like the popular Sesame Street character, pitched one inning in his MLB debut on April 20, 1976. "He was just great for the game. His daughter is proud of him and vice versa: The name of the truck that has "kept my life goin'" is emblazoned on the front bumper: JESSICA. Even Fidrych's agent, Steve Pinkus from William Morris, was interviewed, and really shed some light on just how big the "Bird" was Frank Sinatra, another Morris client, begged Pinkus to bring Fidrych to his birthday party in California, and spent the entire night ignoring his celeb guests in favor of conversation with Fidrych. How old is Mark Fidrych: 55 years old Male Birthday: August 14, 1954. Four days later in Minneapolis, before Fidrych's thirteenth start, the Twins released thirteen homing pigeons on the mound before the game. Aside from fixing up his farmhouse, he works as a contractor . Six days later, the Tigers drew a season-high 51,822 fans as Fidrych went to 144, beating opposing pitcher Frank Tanana 32. Fidrych lived with his wife Ann, whom he married in 1986, on a 107-acre (0.43km2) farm in Northborough. Fidrych remained a popular figure in his hometown, known for his friendly demeanor and generosity. Trending News [2] In the 1974 amateur draft he was selected in the 10th round by the Detroit Tigers. He was the most charismatic player we had during my time with the Tigers, said Ernie Harwell, the veteran announcer, who began broadcasting Tigers games in 1960. Several days later, the state medical examiners office ruled his death an accident. The local boy had come home for the long haul, and he had purchased that Mack rig in '86, just a year before the birth of his daughter, Jessica, and he loved it still. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. "One of my favorite things are the two Harbaugh brothers," Cornblatt said. "[6], On May 25 at Fenway Park in Boston, Fidrych started his second game in front of two busloads of fans who traveled from Fidrych's hometown of Northborough. His death occurred on his farm in Northborough, Mass., Joseph D. Early Jr., the district attorney for Worcester County, said in a statement. Fidrych won the AL Rookie of the Year Award and was named Tiger of the Year by the Detroit baseball writers. Before throwing the pitch, Jessica manicured the mound like her father and received a loud ovation from the crowd. Jim Harbaugh the young boy was speechless. display: block; Howard Ulman Associated Press. "[35] As an AL player, Fidrych had never had to face Hebner, who played in the National League. to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. July 9: Pitching in front of a sell-out crowd of 51,041 at Tiger Stadium, Fidrych held the Royals to one run in nine innings, but, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 01:50. Fidrych debuted as a 21 year old rookie for the Detroit Tigers in 1976. So he was working under a running vehicle?? Still, Fidrychs reputation grew as the season progressed, drawing near-capacity crowds to stadiums across the country as he performed his antics and kept winning ballgames, falling one short of 20 victories. She is always all about fixing everything herself, and I like to hire a professional. They had a daughter, Jessica. One of Fidrych's most memorable minor league games was against Dave Righetti, the AL Rookie of the Year with the New York Yankees in 1981 who was sent to Triple-A Columbus the following season. United States of America. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Known for his quirky antics on the mound, Fidrych led the major leagues with a 2.34 ERA in 1976, won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year award . Wilson, Doug. Fidrych made the Tigers as a non-roster invitee out of the 1976 spring training, not making his MLB debut until April 20, and pitched only one inning through mid-May. 796.357. "Nothing had gone to his head," says Tom Cunningham, a local electrician who knew The Bird in his second act, as a fellow independent subcontractor. . On August 25, the Tigers downed the White Sox, 31, in front of 40,000 fans on a Wednesday night in Detroit. He is fresh. "He never changed. In spring training of 1977, right when he was primed to become the best pitcher in baseball, Fidrych tore cartilage in his knee. In this case few others in baseball's long history had more supposed quirks and eccentricities than Mark Steven Fidrych. [45][46][47][48][49], At the end of his rookie season, the Tigers gave him a $25,000 bonus and signed him to a three-year contract worth $255,000. The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych is a 2013 book that documents the life of Mark Fidrych a former professional baseball player who was known for his exceptional ability as a pitcher, his joyous attitude, and his on-field idiosyncrasies. He finished that season with a 6-8 record and 4.98 ERA on 20 games, 19 of them starts. It may not display this or other websites correctly. During the offseason between the 1976 and 1977 seasons, Fidrych published an autobiography with Tom Clark titled No Big Deal. [32] He picked up where he left off after his return from the injury, but about six weeks after his return, during a July 4 game against Baltimore, he felt his arm just, in his words, "go dead." Fidrych attempted a comeback in 1982 and 1983 in the Boston Red Sox organization. He later joked that when he received a call saying he had been drafted, he thought he was drafted into the military, not thinking there were any teams looking at him. Mark Fidrych (left) was killed in a 2009 mishap on his Northborough farm. The grant was awarded to Northborough's famous "Fist Bump Kid" Liam Fitzgerald during an Autism Awards Reception on April 28. "He dedicated his whole life after . He pitched his entire career for the Detroit Tigers (1976-1980). thus the clothing getting caught with a running vehicle. A family friend, Joseph Amorello, had found him at 2:30 p.m., hoping to talk about potential construction jobs coming up this week. By John R. Ellement Globe Staff,November 27, 2017, 12:31 p.m. 5. "Damn," he said. ", THE BIRDWhat: MLB Network documentaryWhen: Sunday, 10 p.m.Run time: 60 minutesRating: 3.5 stars (out of 4), tpaul@detroitnews.comtwitter.com/tonypaul1984. Jim Harbaugh, in the documentary, called Fidrych is favorite player growing up, and had a touching story about the time he was at Tiger Stadium as a fan and Fidrych came over and said hi. "Mark 'The Bird' Fidrych, 54; pitcher enthralled fans", "Youngster gets first start, stops Tribe on two hits", "The 'Bird' packs them in, provides show and a win", "Go, Bird, Go! It is your commitment and assistance that enables The Mark Fidrych Foundation, Inc to enhance the lives of children and adults with special needs. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. It was a torn rotator cuff, but it would not be diagnosed until 1985. I was playing Baltimore in Baltimore, and about the fifth inning, something happened, Fidrych wrote. The setup that allowed Mr. Fidrychs dump truck to work included the PTO, a hydraulic pump for the truck bed and a spinning auxiliary shaft that connected the two. Baseball is back! Ann, in 1986 and they had a daughter, Jessica. Released by the Tigers in 1981, Fidrych competed briefly with a minor league team owned by the Boston Red Sox. The Bird became a national star on June 28, 1976 when he tossed a 5-1 victory over the powerful New York Yankees in front of 47,855 at Tiger Stadium and millions watching on national television. The arm just went dead.". It was not an act," Trammell said. It was the first of 24 complete games he would pitch that year. Northborough. Card #62 Nm-Mt 8 Cert. On April 13, 2009, Fidrych was performing maintenance and working underneath his dump truck when something went horribly wrong. With his New England accent, his "aww shucks" demeanor and his million-watt smile, he was a sensation a sensation captured perfectly in MLB Network's documentary, "The Bird," which debuts at 10 p.m. Sunday, in this, the 40th anniversary of the year Fidrych captivated a city and a country. [26], After the game, Fidrych was interviewed on live television, and a small controversy arose when Fidrych said "bullshit" on the air. 2000. "[5] Rico Carty of the Indians said he thought Fidrych "was trying to hypnotize them. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. It never bothered him. $184.99. National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame, List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders, The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych, "Former Tigers pitcher Mark 'The Bird' Fidrych dies at 54". Fidrych pitched his last MLB game on October 1, 1980, in Toronto, going five innings and giving up four earned runs, while picking up the win in an 117 Tigers victory which was televised in Detroit. } "I have all these drop-offs and pick-ups. He is fantastic . We are using online outreach, mailings andpop-upeventsto help us achieve our fundraising goal and weare asking foryour help. On August 12, 1980, 48,361 fans showed up at Tiger Stadium to see what turned out to be his last attempt at a comeback. In a 1998 interview, when asked who he would invite to dinner if he could invite anyone in the world, Fidrych said, "My buddy and former Tigers teammate Mickey Stanley, because he's never been to my house." Fidrych lived with his wife Ann, whom he married in 1986, on a 107-acre (0.43 km2) farm in Northborough. "He did embrace life. "This is the genuine article, that's who he was," Cornblatt said. He finished in the top five in several other statistical categories, including wins, win percentage, shutouts, walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP), and bases on balls per nine innings pitched. Teams started asking Detroit to change its pitching rotation so Fidrych could pitch in their ballparks, and he appeared on the cover of numerous magazines, including Sports Illustrated (twice, including once with Sesame Street character Big Bird),[41][42] Rolling Stone (as of 2015, the only baseball player ever to appear on the cover of the rock and roll magazine), and The Sporting News. That year, when you thought about baseball, that's the first name that came to mind. He just celebrated his 64th birthday on September 12. Mark Steven Fidrych was a Major League Baseball player with the Detroit Tigers (1980-1980).The Bird, his nickname, was a non-roster invitee with the Tigers during Spring Training in 1976. He could talk about how he didn't get to play much baseball anymore, and mostly just messed around with neighbors' kids in the yard. In a 1998 interview, when asked who he would invite to dinner if he could invite anyone in the world, Fidrych said, "My buddy and former Tigers teammate Mickey Stanley, because he's never been to my house.". "We were just, in general, getting started for the [road-building] season this week and it seems as though his truck was going to be needed. Nancy Pantazis acquired it in 1964 and it is now operated by her granddaughter Jessica Fidrych, daughter of the famous Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark "the Bird" Fidrych. The Tigers, who paid him the league minimum, $16,500, for the 1976 season, gave him a $25,000 bonus and signed him to a three-year contract worth $255,000. "He was a marvelous pitcher and I just hate to see him go.". Fidrych was not an overpowering pitcher, posting strikeout rates below the league average throughout his career. Fidrychs record in 1976 was 19-9, with an earned run average of 2.34, the best in major league baseball, and 97 strikeouts. Fidrych won the AL Rookie of the Year Award and was named Tiger of the Year by the Detroit baseball writers. His career was cut short by injury. Your gift allowsthe Foundationto continueto"make a difference"in the lives of special need children and adults and bring smiles to their faces. The next, maybe asphalt, or sand, or stone, or topsoil. "He bought his farm. Fidrych, 54, a Northboro native who was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1976, was killed in an accident on his farm Monday. Spring is here! The grant went to Fitzgerald's charity of choicethe Mark Fidrych foundation. Mr. Fidrychs truck was devoid of warning labels that are customarily affixed to the body, her lawyer argued, and subsequent companies that either worked on or inspected the vehicle didnt correct that. Mark Steven Fidrych (/ f d r t / ; August 14, 1954 - April 13, 2009), nicknamed "The Bird", was a Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. The call came Monday in the late afternoon from Detroit Mark Fidrych is dead! They missed him because he didn't have as long as a career as everybody would have liked in the first place. But as it turned out, his rookie season was his biggest. Check out this 1976 interview with then-Detroit Tigers rookie Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, who was asked about his mound antics, including talking to the baseball, after his second career MLB start. That's what the game needed, more guys like him - colorful. But he never pitched in the majors after 1980 and retired in July 1983. It looked like he was doing some maintenance on it," Amorello said in a telephone interview. Fidrych beat the Indians two starts in a row, on September 21 and 28. Fans, who rocked the stadium with applause, refused to leave until Fidrych came out from the dugout to tip his cap. He was the man. Birthplace. Jessica L. Fidrych of Northborough is the daughter of late American baseball player Mark Fidrych and his wife Ann. Mr. Brunelle called "ridiculous" the idea that, because multiple products come together to form a dangerous part, no one can be held liable. Everybody really had a fondness for this young guy, especially the young girls, Harwell said. "[53] The son of an assistant school principal, Fidrych played baseball at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, Massachusetts, and at Worcester Academy, a day and boarding school in central Massachusetts. Globe photo/File 2008. He was born Aug. 14, 1954 died April 13, 2009, and the dash stands . Mr. Fidrych made a good living working for Mr. Amorello, who estimated The Bird was making $68 an hour full-time. He knew that for the 1976 American League Rookie of the Year, in particular, a star who'd been on TV and the covers of Rolling Stone and SI, it might even be unbecoming. The Worcester, Mass., native later owned a trucking business. "His baseball career certainly ended far too soon, and now I'm sorry to say we've lost him far too soon. He never even slightly suggested any regrets of his injuries. "[43][44], Fidrych also drew attention for the simple, bachelor lifestyle he led in spite of his fame, driving a green subcompact car, living in a small Detroit apartment, wondering aloud if he could afford to answer all of his fan mail on his league-minimum $16,500 salary, and telling people that if he hadn't been a pitcher, he'd have been happy pumping gas in Northborough.

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