"The Bird: The Spirit of '76"

Host Andy Baron discusses his chance ridealong with Mark Fidrych in Fidrych’s 10-wheel Mack truck in May 1996. The experience, which becomes the impetus for this podcast, sets him on a course of discovery about one of the most charismatic and eccentric major league baseball players of all time.

What is "The Bird: The Spirit of '76"?

Catapulted into American consciousness during the summer of 1976, “The Bird: The Spirit of ’76” tells the story of the late Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, a talented and eccentric pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who beats long odds to make the team and becomes American League Rookie of the Year. He is a national crossover cultural phenomenon, hanging out with Elton John, Frank Sinatra and other luminaries. Fifty years after his magical season, former Sentinel & Enterprise reporter Andy Baron shares never-before-told stories revealing how Fidrych overcame early childhood challenges and left a lasting legacy for those with special needs.