Comments on: Remembering Mark “The Bird” Fidrych http://www.absolutemichigan.com/dig/michigan/remembering-mark-the-bird-fidrych/ Dig Michigan! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:23:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Patrick http://www.absolutemichigan.com/dig/michigan/remembering-mark-the-bird-fidrych/comment-page-1/#comment-42089 Patrick Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:09:04 +0000 http://www.absolutemichigan.com/dig/?p=3318#comment-42089 My first memory of Fidrych, of course, was his debut performance against the Cleveland Indians. As I recall, it was a hot, muggy day in Toledo... I was attending Toledo's International Festival at the Sports Arena with friends and upon leaving there, I tuned in the game on my Super Beetle's radio, not knowing anything about who was pitching or anything... the Tigers were on and it's just what I did. Several innings had already been played, it was a tight game and Fidrych was working on a no-hitter. Ernie Harwell (and probably Ray Lane at the time) were quite excited by what was going on and my friends and I rushed to get to a television to — we hoped — witness history. Alas, the no-hitter was spoiled in the 7th, I think, but he no doubt was the brightest spot of an otherwise dismal season. I was fortunate to have seen him pitch one time at Tiger Stadium. He beat the White Sox. His ABC Monday Night Baseball appearance against the vaunted Yankees remains one of my most enjoyable sports memories. At long last, the talk of the nation was a player on <i>my</i> team! And he came through big time that night. My first memory of Fidrych, of course, was his debut performance against the Cleveland Indians. As I recall, it was a hot, muggy day in Toledo... I was attending Toledo's International Festival at the Sports Arena with friends and upon leaving there, I tuned in the game on my Super Beetle's radio, not knowing anything about who was pitching or anything... the Tigers were on and it's just what I did.

Several innings had already been played, it was a tight game and Fidrych was working on a no-hitter. Ernie Harwell (and probably Ray Lane at the time) were quite excited by what was going on and my friends and I rushed to get to a television to — we hoped — witness history.

Alas, the no-hitter was spoiled in the 7th, I think, but he no doubt was the brightest spot of an otherwise dismal season. I was fortunate to have seen him pitch one time at Tiger Stadium. He beat the White Sox.

His ABC Monday Night Baseball appearance against the vaunted Yankees remains one of my most enjoyable sports memories. At long last, the talk of the nation was a player on my team! And he came through big time that night.

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