The Bird

December 10, 2012
The life of one of baseball’s zany hurler Mark Fidrych gets close scrutiny in a solid book by Wilson, a member of the Society of American Baseball Research (Fred Hutchinson and the 1964 Cincinnati Reds). Fidrych, nicknamed “The Bird,” energized Detroit Tiger fans when the tall 21-year-old rookie pitcher won 19 games in the summer of 1976, claiming the Rookie of the Year award. In chronicling the sudden rise and fall of Fidrych, Wilson takes us into the Tigers organization and the Major Leagues to show how an obscure baseball player could capture the hearts of fans nationwide. Although “The Bird” was prone to flapping his arms and ritually cleaning the pitching mound, it was his skill at pitching that made him worth watching, changing speeds and working the corners of home plate against batters. With his face on the covers of Rolling Stone and popular sports magazines, Fidrych could do no wrong in the 1970s, but a knee injury sidelined him in 1977 and arm troubles made a comeback impossible.

December 15, 2012
A reminder of the time when America fell in love with a tall, lanky, curly-haired pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. For a short time in the 1970s, the country was in thrall to Mark Fidrych, who came to be known as "The Bird" for his resemblance to Big Bird. Fidrych emerged seemingly from nowhere in the summer of 1976 and became an unlikely but legitimate phenomenon. Wilson (Fred Hutchinson and the 1964 Cincinnati Reds, 2010) tells the Bird's story in this biography of the Massachusetts native whose antics included tending to his own pitching mound during games and allegedly talking to the baseball. Wilson also dispels a few myths along the way, namely disputing the demotion of Fidrych to a "flake," despite his antics. He also paints Fidrych as a product of his time and argues that only in the 1970s could someone like Fidrych become such an icon. The beloved pitcher's every move drew national attention, and his appearances sold out stadiums, whether for away games or for the home games of some lousy Tigers teams. Unfortunately, knee and throwing-shoulder injuries curtailed the career of the Bird. Wilson is not the most graceful prose stylist, but he has clear affection for the star-crossed Fidrych, and that passion, not to mention the built-in interesting story, overcomes some clunky writing. Fidrych, whose post-baseball career showed a man truly contented with life and with a deep passion for giving back to the world, died in 2009. Fidrych transfixed the country, albeit too briefly. This book serves as a reminder of why.

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Starred review from February 15, 2013

In 1976, America was enthralled by a young, ultra-talented Detroit Tigers pitcher who patted down the mound, conversed with baseballs, shook the hand of teammates in mid-inning, and signed autographs until late at night. America celebrated this fresh-faced phenom who embodied renewal after Vietnam, Watergate, and other national upheavals, and personified a new generation's aspirations. As with all meteors, Fidrych faded rapidly. Injuries hampered him, but his legend has not died, testimony to his incandescent personality and disdain for material things. This latest biography takes readers through Fidrych's life, including his many happy years in retirement in Massachusetts and, regrettably, his too-early accidental death in 2009. Wilson (Fred Hutchinson and the 1964 Cincinnati Reds) makes plain by means of a skillful weaving of distant accounts and contemporaneous stories, many raising a tear, that Mark deserved his celebrity and our admiration. VERDICT Highly recommended for all libraries wishing to offer readers a few hours of fun and frivolity and to serious fans an explanation of the mania that last engulfed the National Pastime in a worthwhile way.--GR

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2013
Mark (The Bird) Fidrych burst on the baseball world in the summer of 1976, pitching for the Detroit Tigers. His big shock of blond, curly hair generated comparisons to Big Bird, hence the nickname. He won 19 games and finished second in the Cy Young balloting for baseball's best American League pitcher. Fidrych's success was stunning, but his eccentricity made him an overnight folk hero. Fidrych would groom the pitcher's mound very carefully, openly chatter to himself, give the ball verbal instructions, and reject balls that he felt had hits in them. It was wonderful theater but had a short run. Fidrych developed shoulder trouble in his second year and quickly faded from baseball. Sadly, he died in 2009 in a mishap while fixing his truck. Wilson interviewed many former teammates, managers, friends, and family members in the course of researching this biography of the ballplayer and the man. Though Fidrych was disappointed with the brevity of his career, he never wallowed in self-pity. A compassionate, engaging biography of a player whose star shone brightly if briefly.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)