?The Bird? was in a league of his own

Tiger fans won?t ever forget Mark ?The Bird? Fidrych, the dream-like season of 1976 and the way he rejuvenated baseball interest in the Detroit area with his impressive pitching and mound-antics. What The Bird will be remembered for most in northern Michigan is the way he found a place in his heart for Special Olympians.

His sudden loss in what seems to be a freak accident on his family farm has brought much sadness to the kind folks associated with Wertz Warriors, an organization which raises money and awareness for the developmentally disabled who participate in Special Olympics.

Mark had been riding with the group, without fail, going back as long as anyone can remember. Olympians like the late Bruce Watson couldn?t wait until Fidrych arrived in Hawks, and in recent years, at the Millersburg Eagles and Stoney Creek Lounge of Onaway.

BARB WATSON of Millersburg, a Special Olympics coach and Bruce?s mom, struggled to find words Wednesday to describe the man who made such an impact on others. ?I can?t think of a person that was more well-known, who would give up so much time for others who would never have a chance to meet somebody like him,? said Watson. ?It is not like he lived in Michigan. He had to give up a week of his time. Time spent away from his family.?

Fidrych served as the spokesman when awards or checks were presented. He was the person everyone couldn?t wait to see him walk through the door. ?Is The Bird with them (Wertz Warriors)?? is undoubtedly the most often first question asked by those attending Wertz Warrior events. From what Barb was told, Fidrych would not charge additional fees to make the appearances, which is kind of unheard of in the celebrity world these days.

The athletes almost never had to get up from their table to go meet him, no, The Bird would go to them to say ?hi,? or give a hug. ?No athlete was ever forgotten by him,? said Watson. Her son always wanted to go to a baseball game with The Bird, but she told him that Fidrych lived in Massachusetts and that would be very difficult. In Barb?s heart, she knows if she had asked him, Fidrych would have tried to have taken Bruce to a game.

TIGER MANAGER Jim Leyland couldn?t even talk about The Bird Tuesday at Comerica Park. ?I’m not going to talk about Mark,? said Leyland in a story that posted on M-Live. ?Let’s just talk about the games because I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I’ll make a fool of myself.?

Longtime Rogers City High School baseball coach Howard Madsen, who was attending Eastern Michigan University during the magical season of 1976, remembers ?The Bird, Bird, Bird — Bird is the Word? craze which swept through Michigan.

<p> ?He was certainly someone who was special to the game, and brought a lot. It was incredible what he did to that town. He is going to go down as one of those characters in baseball history.?

Tiger Stadium would fill to capacity on days he pitched. ?That was the hardest ticket in baseball at the time,? said Madsen. ?All the other general managers were crying to the Tigers that ?you have to let Fidrych pitch when he?s on the road against us.? ? Fans wanted to see him talk to the baseball or groom the mound. Beyond that, he was an outstanding pitcher during one special season, in a hitter friendly park.

Remember the move line from ?A League of their Own,? where Tom Hanks? character, the manager of an all women?s baseball team said there is ?no crying in baseball!? I can think of a reason this week, because Mark was in a league of his own.