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The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych
The first biography of the eccentric pitcher, rookie All-Star starter, 70s pop icon, and first athlete on the cover of Rolling Stone
For those who remember him, Mark Fidrych is still that player who brings a smile to your face, the irresistibly likable pitcher whose sudden rise brightened the star-spangled season of 1976 and reminded us of the pure joy of the game. Lanky, mop-topped, and nicknamed for his resemblance to Big Bird on Sesame Street , Fidrych exploded onto the national stage during the Bicentennial summer as a rookie with the Detroit Tigers. He won over fans nationwide with his wildly endearing antics such as talking to the ball---and throwing back the ones that "had hits in them"; getting down on his knees to "manicure" the mound of any cleat marks; and shaking hands with just about everyone from teammates to groundskeepers to cops during and after games. Female fans tried to obtain locks of his hair from his barber and even named babies after him. But The Bird was no mere sideshow. The non-roster invitee to spring training that year quickly emerged as one of the best pitchers in the game. Meanwhile, his boyish enthusiasm, his famously modest lifestyle, and his refusal to sign with an agent during the days of labor disputes and free agency made him such a breath of fresh air for fans that not only did attendance in Detroit increase---by tens of thousands---for games he pitched, opposing teams would specifically ask the Tigers to shuffle their rotation so Fidrych would pitch in their cities, too. A rare player who transcended pop culture, Fidrych was named starting pitcher in the All-Star Game as a rookie (the first of his two All-Star nods) and became the first athlete to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Baseball researcher Doug Wilson delivers the first biography of this once-in-a-lifetime player. Through extensive interviews and meticulous research, the author recounts Fidrych's meteoric rise from Northborough, Massachusetts, to the big leagues, his heartbreaking fall after a torn knee ligament and then rotator cuff, his comeback attempts with the Tigers and in the Red Sox system, and one unforgettable night when The Bird pitched a swan song for the Pawtucket Red Sox against future star Dave Righetti in a game that remains part of local folklore. Finally, Wilson captures Fidrych's post-baseball life and his roles in the community, tragically culminating with his death in a freak accident in 2009.
The Bird gives readers a long-overdue look into the life of a player whom baseball had never seen before---and has never seen since.
For those who remember him, Mark Fidrych is still that player who brings a smile to your face, the irresistibly likable pitcher whose sudden rise brightened the star-spangled season of 1976 and reminded us of the pure joy of the game. Lanky, mop-topped, and nicknamed for his resemblance to Big Bird on Sesame Street , Fidrych exploded onto the national stage during the Bicentennial summer as a rookie with the Detroit Tigers. He won over fans nationwide with his wildly endearing antics such as talking to the ball---and throwing back the ones that "had hits in them"; getting down on his knees to "manicure" the mound of any cleat marks; and shaking hands with just about everyone from teammates to groundskeepers to cops during and after games. Female fans tried to obtain locks of his hair from his barber and even named babies after him. But The Bird was no mere sideshow. The non-roster invitee to spring training that year quickly emerged as one of the best pitchers in the game. Meanwhile, his boyish enthusiasm, his famously modest lifestyle, and his refusal to sign with an agent during the days of labor disputes and free agency made him such a breath of fresh air for fans that not only did attendance in Detroit increase---by tens of thousands---for games he pitched, opposing teams would specifically ask the Tigers to shuffle their rotation so Fidrych would pitch in their cities, too. A rare player who transcended pop culture, Fidrych was named starting pitcher in the All-Star Game as a rookie (the first of his two All-Star nods) and became the first athlete to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Baseball researcher Doug Wilson delivers the first biography of this once-in-a-lifetime player. Through extensive interviews and meticulous research, the author recounts Fidrych's meteoric rise from Northborough, Massachusetts, to the big leagues, his heartbreaking fall after a torn knee ligament and then rotator cuff, his comeback attempts with the Tigers and in the Red Sox system, and one unforgettable night when The Bird pitched a swan song for the Pawtucket Red Sox against future star Dave Righetti in a game that remains part of local folklore. Finally, Wilson captures Fidrych's post-baseball life and his roles in the community, tragically culminating with his death in a freak accident in 2009.
The Bird gives readers a long-overdue look into the life of a player whom baseball had never seen before---and has never seen since.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2013
17 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Doug Wilson
5 books43 followersI have loved baseball since I was old enough to throw a rubber ball against the side of the house and pretend I was in the big leagues. I particularly have an interest in writing about baseball in the 1960s ande 1970s. I like to write about the good guys of the game--I'm tired of hearing about the scandals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 2, 2023
3.5 stars
So my dad recommended I read The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych as he said this former MLB pitcher made quite the impression even though his career was cut short due to injuries. Mark gained a reputation as being very likeable but a bit odd as during games he would talk to the ball or get on his knees and smooth out the pitching mound with this hands. Fans flocked to the games or turned on the television sets just to see him in action. An interesting individual and more importantly a kind person as well.
Average in terms of writing but if you like baseball, it's worth a read.
So my dad recommended I read The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych as he said this former MLB pitcher made quite the impression even though his career was cut short due to injuries. Mark gained a reputation as being very likeable but a bit odd as during games he would talk to the ball or get on his knees and smooth out the pitching mound with this hands. Fans flocked to the games or turned on the television sets just to see him in action. An interesting individual and more importantly a kind person as well.
Average in terms of writing but if you like baseball, it's worth a read.
October 17, 2019
The writing here isn't the deepest, in fact sometimes it seems like its geared more toward an audience of high school or college age kids - but that didn't really bother me. I'm not a baseball romantic. But I was in 1976. I ate, slept and shat baseball back then. And Mark Fidrych played the game as if he did too. And how could an 8 year old kid not be drawn to the Bird? His perma-grin, his love of guitar Rock music, his bushy unkempt hair, his wild antics on the mound and his joy in the game. He was like a big kid himself. And it was as if his sheer love of the game, his passion for baseball, led to his success - which in turn inspired young kids like me to believe that all you needed to make it to the big leagues was simply to love the game, play it with every fiber of your being every second of the day.
And then...it all changed. A silly injury that led to a sadly drawn out exit. Something was missing from baseball without Mark 'The Bird' Fidrych in the Major Leagues. The game had been changing with free agency and corporatization. Baseball players, who previously sold insurance in the off season to make ends meet, were becoming multi-millionaire brand names represented by narrow-eyed agents who would wrangle endorsements for them and shade them from by the paparazzi who were hell-bent on splattering stories of their personal lives all over the tabloid TV Sports shows. It makes me wonder if baseball players even enjoy the game any more.
Would baseball had steered clear of all these evils had Fidrych stayed in the game? No, of course not. But for one brilliant summer in 1976 it seemed possible. In fact whenever the Bird took the mound, for that one brief moment, almost anything seemed possible.
And then...it all changed. A silly injury that led to a sadly drawn out exit. Something was missing from baseball without Mark 'The Bird' Fidrych in the Major Leagues. The game had been changing with free agency and corporatization. Baseball players, who previously sold insurance in the off season to make ends meet, were becoming multi-millionaire brand names represented by narrow-eyed agents who would wrangle endorsements for them and shade them from by the paparazzi who were hell-bent on splattering stories of their personal lives all over the tabloid TV Sports shows. It makes me wonder if baseball players even enjoy the game any more.
Would baseball had steered clear of all these evils had Fidrych stayed in the game? No, of course not. But for one brilliant summer in 1976 it seemed possible. In fact whenever the Bird took the mound, for that one brief moment, almost anything seemed possible.
June 16, 2024
Mark Fidrych is one of those players from when I really first started getting into baseball that you always remember. Pretty sure I watched the famous Monday Night game from that year as I just rewatched it and recalled many of the things that went on during the game.
The main parts of the book are great, I don’t need a detailed account of each game anyway. The beginning and ending was just ok though. Too many stories of how hyper he was as a kid or how wonderful a person he was after his career ended. Just a couple anecdotes would have been fine. It’s almost like those two parts were written for kids.
He had an incredible season in 1976 (and should have won the Cy Young award, it’s really not even close).
Fun book if you were watching baseball back then.
The main parts of the book are great, I don’t need a detailed account of each game anyway. The beginning and ending was just ok though. Too many stories of how hyper he was as a kid or how wonderful a person he was after his career ended. Just a couple anecdotes would have been fine. It’s almost like those two parts were written for kids.
He had an incredible season in 1976 (and should have won the Cy Young award, it’s really not even close).
Fun book if you were watching baseball back then.
March 19, 2017
The Bird was a part of my baseball-viewing youth. I was in my teens when he burst on to the scene on my hometown Detroit Tigers team. He was on every newscast for awhile and in nearly every issue of the Detroit News during his '76 rookie season. Reading this biography was like walking back in time for this baseball fan. I think it's a pretty fair biography given the short length of his pro career. It plays to the personal side but that is where Mark was different from most other players of his day. We will never see the likes of him and his unique and approachable personality again. The game is much different these days. Bad different? That's for the individual fan to decide.
April 4, 2013
I was only seven years old when Mark Fidrych broke into the major leagues, setting baseball on its collective ear with his zany antics and darting fastball. I hadn’t yet been caught up by the baseball bug, and even living in western Michigan, I wasn’t in the loop on the Bird. In fact, I have a distinct memory of talking baseball cards with a couple of kids on the school bus in second or third grade. One of them asked if I had the Bird. I thought he meant Doug Bird. He thought I was an idiot.
By the time I fell absolutely head over heels for the game, Fidrych was on his way out, victim of what years later proved to be a torn rotator cuff though at the time was chalked up to shoulder tendinitis. He battled for several more seasons, spending the last three years of his career pitching in Triple-A before finally hanging it up in 1983. Even in the minors he drew crowds, though it was nothing like the packed houses he played as a rookie, when he won 19 games for a bad Tigers squad and led the American League in ERA.
Had I been born a couple of years earlier, I probably would have caught Birdmania in 1976, when most of the rest of America did. And I probably would have loved Doug Wilson’s The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych even more than I did anyway. Which was a lot. What a fun book, about a guy so refreshingly down to earth that you’d find his story hard to believe if this were a novel.
What made it even more enjoyable for me was I had recently read the Mike Piazza book, about a guy who by his own admission played with a chip on his shoulder and has yet to figure out how to remove it six years after he retired. Fidrych was the anti-Piazza. He played for the sheer joy of playing and would often surprise teammates by running over and shaking their hands after a great play, even in the middle of an inning. Despite having passed away in 2009 and not having been available to Wilson as a resource for this book, his enthusiasm for life bursts through on every page. This is as fun a book as I’ve read in quite a while.
By the time I fell absolutely head over heels for the game, Fidrych was on his way out, victim of what years later proved to be a torn rotator cuff though at the time was chalked up to shoulder tendinitis. He battled for several more seasons, spending the last three years of his career pitching in Triple-A before finally hanging it up in 1983. Even in the minors he drew crowds, though it was nothing like the packed houses he played as a rookie, when he won 19 games for a bad Tigers squad and led the American League in ERA.
Had I been born a couple of years earlier, I probably would have caught Birdmania in 1976, when most of the rest of America did. And I probably would have loved Doug Wilson’s The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych even more than I did anyway. Which was a lot. What a fun book, about a guy so refreshingly down to earth that you’d find his story hard to believe if this were a novel.
What made it even more enjoyable for me was I had recently read the Mike Piazza book, about a guy who by his own admission played with a chip on his shoulder and has yet to figure out how to remove it six years after he retired. Fidrych was the anti-Piazza. He played for the sheer joy of playing and would often surprise teammates by running over and shaking their hands after a great play, even in the middle of an inning. Despite having passed away in 2009 and not having been available to Wilson as a resource for this book, his enthusiasm for life bursts through on every page. This is as fun a book as I’ve read in quite a while.
April 18, 2014
On May 10, 1976 my high school baseball team got a special treat; a trip to Tiger Stadium to see an exhibition game between the Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds. The Tigers pitcher was an unknown rookie who had already drawn attention for his unorthodox behaviour. It was of course Mark Fidrych and none of us could dream that he would become a houseold name within a few months.
This book relives the astonishing year of 1976 where the Bird became the most popular athlete in the US and where stadiums around the country sold out when he pitched. We all know that this was the both the beginning and the and of Fidrych's stardom. As a Tiget fan I was cheated out of seeing a team that woud have a healthy Bird along with Morris, Petry, Tramnel, Parrish, Whitaker, Gibson leading us to a few world championships along the way.
This book brings these times back vividly and shows us the unbeliavable impact that Mark Fidrych had on poeple across the country. He was a superstar hanging out with both presidents and rock stars, but an arm injury ended his career quickly. The book is filled with stories of people that were touched by the Bird and the love and respect that he earned. This is certainly the right book for any baseball fan. For those of us lucky enough to see him pitch - it's a fitting tribute to somebody whose career and life were cut off way too quickly.
This book relives the astonishing year of 1976 where the Bird became the most popular athlete in the US and where stadiums around the country sold out when he pitched. We all know that this was the both the beginning and the and of Fidrych's stardom. As a Tiget fan I was cheated out of seeing a team that woud have a healthy Bird along with Morris, Petry, Tramnel, Parrish, Whitaker, Gibson leading us to a few world championships along the way.
This book brings these times back vividly and shows us the unbeliavable impact that Mark Fidrych had on poeple across the country. He was a superstar hanging out with both presidents and rock stars, but an arm injury ended his career quickly. The book is filled with stories of people that were touched by the Bird and the love and respect that he earned. This is certainly the right book for any baseball fan. For those of us lucky enough to see him pitch - it's a fitting tribute to somebody whose career and life were cut off way too quickly.
May 27, 2013
I remember playing catch with my Dad in the back yard in the Spring of 1976, and as we were throwing he said "You gotta watch the game tonight, the Tigers got a guy pitching called The Bird" That was the famous game against the Yankees.
I read this book to relive some old memories about Mark Fidrych, and a time when a young curly haired pitcher could brighten everyone with his exuberance and joy. But make no mistake Fidrych was also a great pitcher with remarkable control in his day.
What I was pleased to learn from the book was that how Fidrych was on the field (specifically his excitement) wasn't a reaction to the wild ride of success and attention it was just how he was. He was the genuine article.
This one of a kind for his lack of knowledge made up for it in being a simply wonderful human being, giving back to the community, and being generous with his fans. He was that rare illumination of human spirit that should be celebrated. I am only saddened that I never got a chance to shake his hand and thank him for the fun he provided.
The biography did what I had hoped it would and was well researched with many quotations from friends, family and teammates alike. It's a straightforward story but then again so was Fidrych.
I read this book to relive some old memories about Mark Fidrych, and a time when a young curly haired pitcher could brighten everyone with his exuberance and joy. But make no mistake Fidrych was also a great pitcher with remarkable control in his day.
What I was pleased to learn from the book was that how Fidrych was on the field (specifically his excitement) wasn't a reaction to the wild ride of success and attention it was just how he was. He was the genuine article.
This one of a kind for his lack of knowledge made up for it in being a simply wonderful human being, giving back to the community, and being generous with his fans. He was that rare illumination of human spirit that should be celebrated. I am only saddened that I never got a chance to shake his hand and thank him for the fun he provided.
The biography did what I had hoped it would and was well researched with many quotations from friends, family and teammates alike. It's a straightforward story but then again so was Fidrych.
December 21, 2014
First off...I enjoyed this book. I was just a little too young to remember 1976 and The Bird's tremendous rookie season. but his name was one I'd always recognize..partially because of his eccentric nature.
After reading this book, I feel like I have a much stronger picture of who Mark Fidrych was as a pitcher and as a person. And I really like the person he was.
I think author Doug Wilson did a very nice job in compiling his resources, interviews and archive material to present an accurate portrait. Clearly Mark was a person who was loved by many, if not all of the people he met. He had an electric personality and it comes across strong in this read.
If I had one criticism, it would be that some of the messages are repeated numerous times. I feel as though this book could have been shaved by 20-30 pages without missing a beat.
If you're a fan of 'feel good' baseball stories, then this book is for you. It's a fun ride with no real peeling back of the layers or controversial anecdotes. "The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych" will make you laugh, cry and contemplate. All while taking you through the setting of baseball in the 1970's.
After reading this book, I feel like I have a much stronger picture of who Mark Fidrych was as a pitcher and as a person. And I really like the person he was.
I think author Doug Wilson did a very nice job in compiling his resources, interviews and archive material to present an accurate portrait. Clearly Mark was a person who was loved by many, if not all of the people he met. He had an electric personality and it comes across strong in this read.
If I had one criticism, it would be that some of the messages are repeated numerous times. I feel as though this book could have been shaved by 20-30 pages without missing a beat.
If you're a fan of 'feel good' baseball stories, then this book is for you. It's a fun ride with no real peeling back of the layers or controversial anecdotes. "The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych" will make you laugh, cry and contemplate. All while taking you through the setting of baseball in the 1970's.
January 7, 2014
While this book didn't go into detail like some sports biographies, I still enjoyed reading it. I saw Mark pitch when I was five years old. I remember buying the newspapers that were giving away iron-on decals and making our t-shirts for the game. I still have fond memories of watching him pitch. He was the type of player who showed truly how much fun baseball should be. I was glad to see someone write about such a unique individual.
February 9, 2016
Good book for a baseball junkie like myself. I first started following baseball in 1976, which was the year of The Bird. The All-Star game he started that year was the first one I ever watched, so there is nostalgia for me in that era of baseball from my childhood.
Not the greatest writing I've ever seen, but a good read for baseball fans that remember Fidrych and Bird-mania. Provides a lot of detail into the person he was as well as his star-crossed baseball career.
Not the greatest writing I've ever seen, but a good read for baseball fans that remember Fidrych and Bird-mania. Provides a lot of detail into the person he was as well as his star-crossed baseball career.
February 20, 2022
Mark "The Bird" Fidrych was a 22 year old phenom pitcher with an entirely unique perspective on being a Major League ballplayer who first hit the majors in 1976. At that time I was only six years older than Mark. I was married, had been working in my career for five years, had my first baby on the way, and was a big Tiger fan. So many of Doug Wilson's stories about the Bird in that magical year brought flash back memories for me but my own personal memory was about a little six or seven year old son of my neighbors who we had shared a small home with that had been made into two one-bedroom apartments. By this year we had moved out to our own home (our first). In summer the little boy, Larry Jr., really wanted to see the Bird pitch. He also had never been to a game before at Tiger Stadium. Well, I told his Dad that it looked like it was going to be tough to get tickets for a specific date ahead of time not knowing exactly if Mark would pitch. As the season drew on, I decided well maybe I could predict when that day would come. I knew the Tigers schedule and I knew they used a 5 man pitching rotation so putting the two together, I predicted what date out two to three weeks the Bird would start. However, I told Larry Jr.'s Dad, "Big Larry," we can buy tickets for that date but if there is a rainout, injury, etc. in the meantime the whole plan will come to naught. He said go ahead and as it happened, the Bird was scheduled to pitch on the aforementioned date. It again was a packed house; we had good seats (I think it cost $3 back then); and Larry Jr. was excited with all that comes with the game. Unlike practically every other game that was chronicled in the book, this game was one that the Bird didn't have his good stuff and was knocked out early. Little Larry looked at his Stepmom sadly as the Bird hit the showers and said "No more Birds?" Nevertheless we and I also believe Jr. still had a good time. The book chronicles the ups and downs of Mark's relatively short baseball careers, his enthusiasm, his drive, his caring, and his defeats but it also spends a great deal of time on what he accomplished and helped so many the remainder of his life while just being Mark "Fid" Fidrych of Northboro, Massachusetts. You don't necessarily have to be a baseball fan to get a good feeling and a tear or two from his story and life.
June 27, 2020
"Whatever you do, just do it with joy." - Mark Fidrych
And this was a joy to read, and not just because it was a baseball book. I think the story of Mark Fidrych would appeal to most non-sports fans, because it is fun to learn more about a person who just enjoyed their life and spread happiness to others everywhere they went. As author Doug Wilson explained, "baseball had never defined Mark Fidrych. He enjoyed playing it--he loved it--but he had never been just a baseball player."
I'm not old enough to remember Mark as a player, as his Major League career ended in 1980. However, growing up in the 80s, he was someone that all baseball fans knew about. Mark grew up in Massachusetts and played baseball as a kid, but he never really followed Major League Baseball and wouldn't have been described as a fan of the local Red Sox or any other MLB team. So it follows that when he made it to the majors as a member of the Detroit Tigers, he was very unassuming and did not know who many of the players or superstars were on his team or any other team. They weren't recognizable to him by name or by face.
However, it didn't take long for him to become recognizable to baseball fans across the country. He played the game with such joy, and he is given credit for instituting the team handshakes after a victory that are commonplace today. In fact, he didn't wait until the game was over. He would routinely leave the pitcher's mound to run over to a teammate who had just made a great defensive play and give him a high-five, a pat on the back, or a handshake to show his appreciation.
When the game was over, he would run to each player on the field and shake hands, spreading the joy of the love of the game. If there's one thing this book is clear about, it's that none of this was an act for Mark. It was a natural part of his personality to make others feel appreciated and included as part of the team.
This book is a great read, because it includes all facets of Mark's life, both on and off the field, and there are countless testimonies of friends, family, teammates, acquaintances, and fans who all share the same sentiment: Mark Fidrych was genuine.
And this was a joy to read, and not just because it was a baseball book. I think the story of Mark Fidrych would appeal to most non-sports fans, because it is fun to learn more about a person who just enjoyed their life and spread happiness to others everywhere they went. As author Doug Wilson explained, "baseball had never defined Mark Fidrych. He enjoyed playing it--he loved it--but he had never been just a baseball player."
I'm not old enough to remember Mark as a player, as his Major League career ended in 1980. However, growing up in the 80s, he was someone that all baseball fans knew about. Mark grew up in Massachusetts and played baseball as a kid, but he never really followed Major League Baseball and wouldn't have been described as a fan of the local Red Sox or any other MLB team. So it follows that when he made it to the majors as a member of the Detroit Tigers, he was very unassuming and did not know who many of the players or superstars were on his team or any other team. They weren't recognizable to him by name or by face.
However, it didn't take long for him to become recognizable to baseball fans across the country. He played the game with such joy, and he is given credit for instituting the team handshakes after a victory that are commonplace today. In fact, he didn't wait until the game was over. He would routinely leave the pitcher's mound to run over to a teammate who had just made a great defensive play and give him a high-five, a pat on the back, or a handshake to show his appreciation.
When the game was over, he would run to each player on the field and shake hands, spreading the joy of the love of the game. If there's one thing this book is clear about, it's that none of this was an act for Mark. It was a natural part of his personality to make others feel appreciated and included as part of the team.
This book is a great read, because it includes all facets of Mark's life, both on and off the field, and there are countless testimonies of friends, family, teammates, acquaintances, and fans who all share the same sentiment: Mark Fidrych was genuine.
May 5, 2013
So many things stand out from reading this book: reliving the days when knowing every player's stats and foibles was all that mattered; reading about the 1976 All Star Game, which I attended; seeing an unknown soft-side of the gruff Jim Leyland; finding out Sparky Anderson was kind of a jerk; hearing how Rusty Staub and other veterans took Fidrych under their wings; reading how other players, non-teammates, reacted to Fidrych; being amazed at how many innings pitchers pitched "back then" compared to today (14 complete games, more than three of which were 11 innings or longer!); confirming how exploitative and objectifying sports writers could be; questioning the prevalence of cynicism (so many times we hear writers, players, fans doubt how genuine Fidrych was); deciding I have no time for Al Michaels. However, what stands out most is what a good and genuine soul Fidrych was.
September 9, 2016
More like a 3.5 really
A somewhat fawning biography of Mark Fidrych. He was certainly an interesting character, and I learned a lot. (For example, it was so soon after free agency that most players did not use agents. Really?)
The author did his research, and he's something of a sabermatrician (though he certainly cherry-picks his data---maybe he's worried that the lay person wouldn't understand? Maybe he just wants to say things that only make Fid look good?). But he's an opthamologist, not a writer. The prose is chock-full of cliches.
I do sort of wish I remembered more of the events of that year (1976), and he did a good job of re-creating some of the feeling.
A somewhat fawning biography of Mark Fidrych. He was certainly an interesting character, and I learned a lot. (For example, it was so soon after free agency that most players did not use agents. Really?)
The author did his research, and he's something of a sabermatrician (though he certainly cherry-picks his data---maybe he's worried that the lay person wouldn't understand? Maybe he just wants to say things that only make Fid look good?). But he's an opthamologist, not a writer. The prose is chock-full of cliches.
I do sort of wish I remembered more of the events of that year (1976), and he did a good job of re-creating some of the feeling.
February 8, 2014
i wanted to like this more than I did. The topic was interesting but the writing was repetitive and just so-so. I put it down and picked it up over the course of a few months without having to reread more than half a page each time. Overall I'd give it 2.5 stars.
March 8, 2024
One of the most enjoyable baseball books I have read since Shoeless Joe, comes the story of Mark Fidrych. He was given the gift of an incredible arm, that brought him from a little town in Massachusetts, through a short stint in the minors, and then straight to the MLB where he became an instant sensation with the Detroit Tigers. Just as quickly, he fell from stardom, but in the one season he was given, he made everything he could of it and carved his name into Detroit history.
As a huge fan of the Tigers, I enjoyed this book immensely and learned of a player who played a year before I was even out of the womb. Fidrych, earning the nickname "The Bird" due to his lanky build and hair's resemblance to the popular cartoon character Big Bird, made his MLB debut in the spring of 1976. Due to his pitching prowess and some of his quirky characteristics on the mound, despite the Tigers being a mediocre team at the time, suddenly the stands were filled to capacity with fans wanting to see this guy for themselves. Remember, this was during the era where only two games per week across the entire MLB were televised, so if you wanted to catch a glimpse of 'The Bird' in action, you needed a ticket. Fidrych loved the fans, loved the spotlight, but mostly, just loved the game of baseball. During a time when free agency in baseball was just starting to take hold, and players began realizing how they could capitalize on the big money, Mark Fidrych just wanted to make enough to get by and do what he did best, play ball. And he was good, great even, making the all-star team in his rookie season. His future was one of the brightest that anyone had ever seen, until spring training 1977, when the injury that would be the beginning of his downward spiral occurred.
This novel captures the life of Mark Fidrych, from his time playing ball with his dad as a youngster, all the way through his untimely death. But despite playing only one big season in the MLB, he continued making his mark on the baseball world for the remainder of his life. This is a book for not only fans of the Detroit Tigers, but for anyone who simply loves the joy of baseball.
As a huge fan of the Tigers, I enjoyed this book immensely and learned of a player who played a year before I was even out of the womb. Fidrych, earning the nickname "The Bird" due to his lanky build and hair's resemblance to the popular cartoon character Big Bird, made his MLB debut in the spring of 1976. Due to his pitching prowess and some of his quirky characteristics on the mound, despite the Tigers being a mediocre team at the time, suddenly the stands were filled to capacity with fans wanting to see this guy for themselves. Remember, this was during the era where only two games per week across the entire MLB were televised, so if you wanted to catch a glimpse of 'The Bird' in action, you needed a ticket. Fidrych loved the fans, loved the spotlight, but mostly, just loved the game of baseball. During a time when free agency in baseball was just starting to take hold, and players began realizing how they could capitalize on the big money, Mark Fidrych just wanted to make enough to get by and do what he did best, play ball. And he was good, great even, making the all-star team in his rookie season. His future was one of the brightest that anyone had ever seen, until spring training 1977, when the injury that would be the beginning of his downward spiral occurred.
This novel captures the life of Mark Fidrych, from his time playing ball with his dad as a youngster, all the way through his untimely death. But despite playing only one big season in the MLB, he continued making his mark on the baseball world for the remainder of his life. This is a book for not only fans of the Detroit Tigers, but for anyone who simply loves the joy of baseball.
August 3, 2022
I remember a warm Monday night in the early summer of 1976 watching (on my small black and white TV) a nationally televised game between the Yankees and Detroit Tigers which had a playoff-style buzz. Why? - well, it was the first time many baseball fans across the country would have a first look at this unique and somewhat comically-unusual pitcher known as Mark Fidrych. It was a captivating experience - not only did a packed Tiger Stadium crowd go crazy with each out, but Fidrych put on a show; talking to the baseball; manicuring the mound; and showing youthful enthusiasm with each out. It was unforgettable - and the Tigers won, 8-1.
Doug Wilson's biography of "The Bird" analyzes and details the career and life of one of baseball's unique and colorful characters. His career was short - and like a comet, his rise to baseball fame as a winning pitcher flamed out after a few seasons. Hi arm troubles; were diagnosed as needing "Tommy John Surgery" which in 1976 was not entirely known. If it was today, Mark's career would have had a real chance of getting back on track. The biography showcases Fidrych as not as much an eccentric, but more as a down-to earth good-natured guy thrust into a national spotlight without ever forgetting "where he came from". Wilson goes deep into Mark's past and gets insights from those family members, friends, coaches, and teammates who knew him best. The style reads like in-depth news reporting and never strays away from the subject. He tells it "like it was" - and as a baseball fan and sports fan, it describes a player that comes along once in a sports fan's lifetime and leaves a positive impression. Fidrych was not perfect - nobody is, but it was great to find out more about Mark Fidrych's career and background. Yes, baseball has "mercurial" figures or players that have that one glorious season before the hitters, or pitchers "figure them out", but Fidrych was a sight to see when he pitched and I am glad that I aw him that June night on my flickering TV set.
Doug Wilson's biography of "The Bird" analyzes and details the career and life of one of baseball's unique and colorful characters. His career was short - and like a comet, his rise to baseball fame as a winning pitcher flamed out after a few seasons. Hi arm troubles; were diagnosed as needing "Tommy John Surgery" which in 1976 was not entirely known. If it was today, Mark's career would have had a real chance of getting back on track. The biography showcases Fidrych as not as much an eccentric, but more as a down-to earth good-natured guy thrust into a national spotlight without ever forgetting "where he came from". Wilson goes deep into Mark's past and gets insights from those family members, friends, coaches, and teammates who knew him best. The style reads like in-depth news reporting and never strays away from the subject. He tells it "like it was" - and as a baseball fan and sports fan, it describes a player that comes along once in a sports fan's lifetime and leaves a positive impression. Fidrych was not perfect - nobody is, but it was great to find out more about Mark Fidrych's career and background. Yes, baseball has "mercurial" figures or players that have that one glorious season before the hitters, or pitchers "figure them out", but Fidrych was a sight to see when he pitched and I am glad that I aw him that June night on my flickering TV set.
April 5, 2019
Wilson really did well for “Fid”. It was interesting: knowing the Birds story and having loved him as a kid, I read quickly through the beginning and the ‘76 season and thoroughly enjoyed it. Wilson captured the absolute euphoria and joy of the experience, taking me back and bringing new depth to the meaning of that magical season. Then my reading slowed. His writing was just as poignant, but I didn’t want to get to the end - I wanted to stay in ‘76. But Wilson did something great with the rest of the story: he made the reader think Mark was not only ok with the rest of the story, but the same Mark Fidrych in the rest of his activities as he was on the mound in ‘76. He didn’t turn into a burnt out version longing for yesteryear. Instead he used what he did gain to continue to bring joy to people through his family focus, charity work, and even his business.
Wilson didn’t sugarcoat, and it sounds like Mark didn’t either. He made it clear he’d rather have played longer and had the benefits that players just a few years later had. But he didn’t seem to live in regret or dwell on what could’ve been. All in, though, the writer was kind to Mark Fidrych and even kinder to the Fidrych fan... I think “Fid” would like this book a lot.
Wilson didn’t sugarcoat, and it sounds like Mark didn’t either. He made it clear he’d rather have played longer and had the benefits that players just a few years later had. But he didn’t seem to live in regret or dwell on what could’ve been. All in, though, the writer was kind to Mark Fidrych and even kinder to the Fidrych fan... I think “Fid” would like this book a lot.
September 11, 2017
A really good book by Doug Wilson on Mark "The Bird" Fidrych. The Bird was a pitcher that looked like Big Bird from Seasame Street and one that took the league and Tiger Stadium by storm in 1976. Think Fernandomania, but probably even more hype. The Bird would talk to the ball between pitchs, pat the pitching mound and not let groundskeepers near it and he would go out and shake his players hands (on the field in the middle of an inning) after a great play. Oh yeah, he was also really, really good. He finished first in the Rookie of the Year balloting in the 1976 season and second in the Cy Young award race in the AL that year. The book spends a good 25 percent or so on that season, so you won't be dissapointed. That chapter, which is nearly 60 pages, is about as good as it gets for writing. I felt I was there in the Tiger Stadium seats. The rest of the book talks about how he came to be a pitcher in Northbro and what he did after the 76 season when sadly, injuries and the amount of innings he pitched seemed to take their toll. Great book by Wilson and I can't wait to read more by him. Good stuff and a MUST for all baseball fans, especially Tiger fans.
June 8, 2017
A good lament to a player who wore his love and excitement for the game on his sleeve, and the fans adored him for it. You later learn that he carried that same love for life with him throughout the rest of his years. Not just a good player taken out by premature injury, but a solid human being who is remembered deeply and fondly by family, friends, and former teammates. The author says our modern-era of sports will never see Birdmania again, and I definitely agree (what with overpriced cable tv, social media, and the forever-negative comment section). This book is for people who can remember a different era, or at least want to learn about one.
July 28, 2017
As someone who was really starting to get into baseball when Fidrych debuted, it brought back a lot of memories. I think I remember that first national TV game he pitched. He really captured the nation's attention. I enjoyed reading about his early years amd his life after baseball. He really seemed like the genuine article. There was an error in there about when he got hurt. The Tigers were playing the Expos that day, not the Reds. Any Reds fan would know they traded Perez to the Expos after the 1976 season. Also on page 224 the author refers to someone as "Hey."
October 30, 2017
I certainly enjoyed learning about the unique story of someone who had a larger impact on the game of baseball than most realize. Even though Mark Fidrych rose to the major leagues in a shorter period of time than most I still believe Wilson could have gone into a little more detail. Other than that I think Wilson did a great job documenting a story that is entertaining and at the same time inspiring. I recommend this book for baseball fans, especially younger fans who are interested in learning about baseball in the 1970s and 1980s, the era in which Fidrych played.
August 31, 2020
It was fitting that I read this on the weekend of my father's funeral. Growing up a Tiger's fan (because of my dad), the Bird's run in 1976 is still memorable. This book was surprisingly well written and highly engaging. It was a reminder of just how good Fidrych was that year and the next until he hurt his knee and and then later his arm. As a rookie at one point he pitched four consecutive complete game victories, two of which were back-to-back 11 inning games. His is one of the great 'what ifs' of baseball. But the book shows him to be an even better person.
March 3, 2021
A well-written account of the life and legacy of Detroit Tiger sensation Mark Fidrych. I have so much more respect and admiration for the man after having read this and felt such grief at his passing at such a young age. While I've always lamented the loss of his baseball career I learned that Mark was happy in his life after baseball so I'm happy for him in that regard. Mark did a lot to help with many charities and he always had time for fans and the kids too. It seems that as good a man as he was that maybe we didn't deserve him but we loved him nonetheless.
March 2, 2018
Excellent; quick read biography of Mark Fidrych, who for one magical season in 1976 was "The Bird" to all Detroit Tiger and baseball fans around the country; however, as learned from the book and those who knew him quoted therein, he was just maybe an even better person throughout his life than he had been a player during that great year; gone far too soon, but will be remembered for a long time yet
April 17, 2025
When Mark Fidrych burst on the scene in 1976 he brought quirkiness and joy to a game that even a die-hard fan like me longs for. The Bird was a real character with character that preceded and outlasted his short MLB career. In so many ways he was the antithesis of players like Mike Mussina, which is why Mark Fidrych will always be loved and remembered fondly while corporate drones like Mussina won't. This book made me smile, and I rarely find reason to smile.
February 17, 2018
I grew up when this was happening. So much was a part of my life. I was 12, the perfect age for hero worship and The Bird was my hero at that time.
What shines isn’t so much his baseball achievements, but his character and life off the field.
What shines isn’t so much his baseball achievements, but his character and life off the field.
January 21, 2021
Workmanlike review of a phenomenon that I had the pleasure of being a part of in Detroit in 1976, and the arm troubles that followed. Not nearly as interesting to discuss as to experience, but fun nonetheless.
August 22, 2022
Uplifting and awesome read. The bird was never bitter about his brief career and years later the story and the memories still make me smile. If you feel like athletes are overpriced babies then read this book! It will make you believe again.
December 28, 2024
As a Tiger fan, I have heard the legend of the Bird. I wish I had been around at that time, but alas, I was born too late. I never knew how crazy the whole country was for him though. I really enjoyed this book, but what happened to him was a bit sad.
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