Fan voting open for Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026

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WooSox Hall of Fame to Enshrine Dr. Charles Steinberg, Chad Tracy, Mark Fidrych, and Gene Zabinski in Class of 2026

Mark Fidrych, born in Worcester and a native of Northborough, MA who lived there his entire life, captured the attention of the baseball world – and much of the nation – during his rookie season of 1976 with the Detroit Tigers. Known for his quirky antics on the mound, Fidrych earned American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1976 after leading the major leagues with a 2.34 ERA while going 19-9 including 24 complete games.

He burst on the scene with both his unexpected performance and his unique, fun personality which featured him appearing to talk to the baseball before his pitches.

Fidrych suffered a torn rotator cuff in July of 1977 and the injury was not discovered until 1985. As a result, despite his valiant efforts, he was never the same, and his Major League career ended in 1980 after just 58 big league games.

The son of an assistant school principal, Fidrych played baseball at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, where the varsity baseball field was named in his honor following his passing in 2009, and at Worcester Academy.

In the 1974 MLB amateur draft he was selected in the 10th round by the Detroit Tigers. He later joked that when he received a phone call informing him that he had been drafted, he thought he was drafted into the armed services, not thinking there were any Major League teams considering him.

Fidrych became a cult hero with fans for his antics on the field. He would crouch down on the pitcher's mound and fix cleat marks, in what became known as "manicuring the mound," talk to himself, talk to the ball, aim the ball like a dart, strut around the mound after every out, and throw back balls that "had hits in them," insisting they be removed from the game. He would also walk around to shake hands with the infielders after they made great plays in the field.

The lanky 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher was nicknamed "The Bird" because of his resemblance to the "Big Bird" character on the popular Sesame Street television program. The two appeared together on the cover of Sports Illustrated and to this day Fidrych is the only baseball player ever to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

On May 31, 1976, Fidrych pitched an 11-inning, complete-game victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Five days later on June 5, he pitched another 11-inning, complete-game victory over the Texas Rangers. On June 28th, Fidrych pitched before 47,855 fans at Tiger Stadium and a national television audience in the millions, as the Tigers hosted the New York Yankees on ABC's Monday Night Baseball. Mark earned a 5–1 complete-game victory which took only an hour and 51 minutes. Fans would not leave Tiger Stadium until he emerged from the dugout for a curtain call. After the broadcast, which was filled with plenty of "Bird" antics, Fidrych became a national celebrity.

He was named as the starting pitcher for the American League in the 1976 All-Star Game. After his sensational 1976 season, Mark’s arm injury would limit him to just 27 more games with the Tigers between 1977-80 before he was released following the 1981 season.

He signed a free agent contract with his hometown Boston Red Sox and made an inspiring comeback attempt with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in 1982 and ’83 appearing in a total of 32 games for the PawSox but finishing with an 8-13 record. His signature moment with the PawSox came on July 1, 1982 in one of the most famous pitching match-ups in Minor League history. Fidrych thrilled a McCoy Stadium record crowd of 9,389 fans (McCoy’s capacity in those days was 5,800) by tossing a complete game to beat Dave Righetti, the 1981 AL Rookie of the Year with the Yankees who had just been demoted back to Triple-A, and the Columbus Clippers, 7-5.

However, Mark’s torn rotator cuff, still not diagnosed and left untreated, never healed. At age 29, he was forced to retire.

In 1985, Fidrych went to famed sports medicine doctor James Andrews who discovered the torn rotator cuff and operated; still, the damage already done to the shoulder effectively ended Fidrych's chance of ever coming back.

Fidrych lived with his wife Ann, whom he married in 1986, and daughter Jessica on a 107-acre farm in Northborough. Aside from fixing up his farmhouse, he worked as a contractor hauling gravel and asphalt in a ten-wheeler. On weekends, he helped out in his mother-in-law's business, Chet's Diner, on Route 20 in Northborough; the diner was later operated by his daughter. He would also frequent the local baseball field to help teach and play ball with the kids.

Mark’s life was cut tragically short on April 13, 2009 when he died in a freak accident while working on his ten-wheel dump truck at his Northborough home.

Mark’s widow Ann and daughter Jess started the “Mark Fidrych Foundation” to honor his legacy through charitable giving. The Fidrych Foundation, an organization that enhances the lives of those with special needs through sports and sports education, and the WooSox have teamed up for several years to invite the Challenger League to Polar Park. The Challenger League is a baseball league for those with physical and developmental disabilities, and youngsters from several nearby towns had the chance to play on the field at Polar Park and attend a WooSox game. For more information about the Mark Fidrych Foundation please visit Markfidrychfoundation.com.