{"product_id":"the-bird-the-life-and-legacy-of-mark-fidrych-9781250048455","title":"The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first biography of the eccentric pitcher  rookie All-Star starter  70s pop icon  and first athlete on the cover of Rolling Stone  Mark Fidrych exploded onto the scene in the summer of 1976 with the Detroit Tigers  capturing the hearts of Americans from coast to coast. Lanky with a curly mop  a nickname born of his resemblance to Sesame Streets Big Bird would only hint at the large personality that was about to take baseball in a new direction. Known for wildly endearing antics such as throwing back balls that \"had hits in them \" manicuring the mound of any cleat marks  talking to himself (and the ball for that matter)  and shaking hands with just about everyone from groundskeepers to cops after games  The Bird infused each game with the fun  All-American spirit of 1970s baseball. A two-time All-Star player  Fidrych won nineteen games  along with the Rookie of the Year Award  becoming one of the biggest individual drawing cards baseball has ever seen.  Recreating the magic of an unforgettable era of baseball  The Bird shows how Fidrych was the player that brought a smile to your face  becoming a crossover pop culture icon and household name. Through meticulous research and interviews  Doug Wilson vividly recounts Fidrychs struggles and final shining moments in the Minors  the tragic injury that signaled the beginning of the end of his career  through to his sudden death in 2009.  The Bird gives readers a long overdue look into the life of the refreshing rookie the likes of which baseball had never seen before  and has never seen since.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45646894628917,"sku":"ByrdShop_1250048451","price":23.31,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781250048455.jpg?v=1781680530","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-bird-the-life-and-legacy-of-mark-fidrych-9781250048455","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}