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In 1976
Detroit Tigers phenom Mark "The Bird"
Fidrych took the baseball world by
storm. He finished with a 19-9 record,
2.34 ERA, and won the AL Rookie of the year
award. Fidrych became an instant
national celebrity beating the Yankees
5-1 on National television on June 28,
1976 with his antics on the field. He
would crouch down on the pitcher's
mound and pat down cleat marks, 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," If his
team made a good play behind him, Mark
Fidrych would run up to them as they
came off the field and shake their hand
vigorously.
It didn't take long for vendors to capitalize on the pitchers popularity,
and began marketing T-shirts, bird
whistles, and other souvenirs.
The Bird whistles
were made in two colors, yellow, &
orange. The left wing has a Mark Fidrych raised relief signature. The
right wing reads "The Bird," and below
the wing a Copyright "© TWO THOUSAND
& ONE LTD. 1977"
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