who remembers Mark The Bird Fidrych?
 

well he be dead :Oh crap

you'd have to be late 30's or older to remember the phenomena that he was - in a time before the Internet, before cable he was a huge story. a tall gangly unheralded kid with a mop of curly hair that made him look like Big Bird, hence the nickname, who made the Detroit Tigers as a starting pitcher, he had an incredible rookie season in 1976 winning 18 games but it was his kookiness and naive nature that made him a sensation. He just had fun, he wasn't in it for the money, a big kid - a one year wonder, he never repeated the success he had in his rookie season and drifted out of the game to retire - happily, he never regreted that his career was so short and he never made much money.

rest in peace weird dude

76 Rookie of the Year, talked to the ball, of course.

R.I.P.

Played good against my Yankees.

Yep, he was quite a character.
Fidrych had more impact in one phenomenal year than most players have in a decade.

In light of Harry Kalas' demise as well, it wasn't a good day for longtime MLB fans.