Mark Fidrych

Pro team(s)

Detroit Tigers

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and had one of the most electric rookie seasons in baseball history for the Detroit Tigers in 1976. The young right-hander went 19-9 with a 2.34 ERA, won the AL Rookie of the Year Award, and became a phenomenon — talking to the baseball, manicuring the mound on his hands and knees, and drawing massive sellout crowds nationwide. His quirky, joyful personality made him one of the most beloved players the game has ever seen. Arm injuries curtailed what should have been a Hall of Fame career, limiting him to just 29 wins after his legendary debut, but Fidrych remains one of the most vivid characters in the history of New England sports.