Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, a former Detroit Tigers pitcher who started fast but then flamed out due to injuries, has died at the age of 54 of an apparent accident.
A family friend, Joseph Amorello, found Mark Fidrych about 2:30 PM on Monday underneath a dump truck. He appeared to have been working on the truck.
It was probably a horrific scene. When questioned about the state of Mark Fidrych when he found him, Amorello said, ‘‘It was obvious there was nothing I could do at that time.’’
Mark Fidrych acquired the nickname "the Bird" because of his gawky resemblance to (some said) Big Bird on Sesame Street. The right-handed pitcher was the 1976 AL rookie of the year in 1976 with a 19-9 record, a 2.34 ERA, and 24 complete games. That was his only big season, though; in five major league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, he compiled a 29-19 record and a 3.10 ERA.
After his rookie season, he tore knee cartilage during spring training and was placed on the DL until May. Then in 1977 he sustained a shoulder injury. He ended up pitching just 58 games during his short career.
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