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I lived in Detroit that one incredible season. If you weren't there it's hard to describe today.
Innocent Bystander 103 reads
posted

Unfortunately, you just knew he would flame out like the shooting star he was.  I think the end of his career was harder on the fans than it was on him.  He seemed to take everything in stride and just moved on to the next phase of his life.

Yeah, he was a total goofball- but for one brief season, he made living in Detroit a whole lot more fun!   RIP Bird.

Dr. joe922 reads

One was Harry Kalas, the voice of the Phillies and of NFL films and a true gentleman; the other was one of the most remarkable sports figures ever, a man who broke all the rules and seemed comfortable with himself and the incredibly unfair hand fate dealt him.  

Mark (The Bird) Fidrych was a rookie pitcher for the Detroit Tigers in 1976.  He was such a remarkable figure that the 19 games he pitched in Tiger Stadium drew about half the total number of fans drawn bu the Tigers at home that whole season (over 80 games.)  He had a wild mass of curly hair and stood 6'3" while weighing a skinny 170 or so pounds. He would flit around the pitcher's mound, pat the earth covering it, and talk soothingly to the baseball. And he got batters out having compiled the best record in the American League that year.

His career lasted that one brilliant season: early the next year, while flitting around the stadium, he tore up his knee and his rotator cuff.

He offered no complaint about his sudden disability but bought a dump truck and moved to a farm in Mass.  

He died yesterday at age 54.  He was found under his truck, victim of an apparent accident.

I always respect screw balls who, while respecting others, do thinks their way.  It is one of the things I adore about a number of the professional ladies I have met.  They do things their way, Gd bless them.

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Claudius4231076 reads

never could stand the ethically couched stereotype. "how you should be doing this is this way...."

or the better yet the argument from mediocrity. "the average guy does it this way...."

i'm all for whoever resists the cookie cutter breaks the mold and has their own life, not someone else's. it's always been just too damn short to waste.

a note to mr fisher: i do not count idleness a waste. ;-)

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mrfisher68 reads

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summersizzle101 reads

I am with you on this Dr. Joe.
As a huge sports nut. And a doger girl (hometown)but a Phillie fan as well. (yeah I know NL) rivals.
I will never forget growing up with that voice of so many NFL highlights....
And as for some of us ladies. we are most def. a little screwing too....lol
Life does hand us many adventureous friends. We should enjoy the differences in all.
Detroit did have so many funny guys whom played the old Tiger stadium...
Many happy thoughts of growing up such a tom boy!!! And to lose the true Madam of Porn yesterday too... Such a loss ...

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BizzaroSuperdude119 reads

there was no more pleasure than at the end of last season, when he was able to announce the Phillies as the 2008 world champions of baseball.... just thinking of it sends chills down my back

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keystonekid111 reads

Mike Schmidt said it so well on Mike & Mike this morning.

Fidrych was a treat to watch and brought smiles to many faces with his antics on the mound. While I wasn't a Tiger fan, he gave the game a new energy.

May God be with the families of these two great baseball legends.

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johnhuntback92 reads

The first time I heard Harry Kalas, he was doing the old Houston Colt Astros games with Gene Elston and Lowell Pass back in the mid 1960's. He was overshadowed by the other two, but even then, showed signs of greatness.

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Innocent Bystander104 reads

Unfortunately, you just knew he would flame out like the shooting star he was.  I think the end of his career was harder on the fans than it was on him.  He seemed to take everything in stride and just moved on to the next phase of his life.

Yeah, he was a total goofball- but for one brief season, he made living in Detroit a whole lot more fun!   RIP Bird.

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wilycoyote6359 reads

as much time as i spend on the Internet with news and business, THIS would be the site where i find out about Fidrych ...

thanks for posting.

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