(Mark) Fidrych's death ruled an accident

MLB.com ^ | April 16, 2009 1:13 PM ET | Jason Beck

[Red Steel]

Authorities confirm hurler suffocated working on truck

The Worcester, Mass., medical examiner confirmed Thursday that former pitching great Mark Fidrych's death was an accident on his farm in nearby Northborough, Mass.

The 54-year-old Tigers legend passed away Monday. A friend had found Fidrych underneath the 10-wheel dump truck that he drove for his gravel business. The death was immediately suspected to be accidental.

The Associated Press reported the findings through the Worcester District Attorney's office.

Fidrych had been working on something beneath the truck when his clothes became entangled in the truck's power takeoff shaft, a spinning part. It's a driveshaft that can be used to power another piece of equipment. Fidrych died by suffocation.

In some ways, Fidrych passed away doing something he loved. According to friends and acquaintances, he always enjoyed working on cars and other vehicles, dating back to his days as a teenager working at a gas station in Northborough. Even during his playing days, he was known for working on cars during Spring Training with the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla.

Fidrych bought a dump truck soon after his retirement from baseball in 1983 and opened his gravel business, settling into his post-baseball career as a regular businessman in Northborough rather than simply a baseball celebrity.

Visitation for the former Tigers pitcher will be held Thursday from 4-8 p.m. ET at First Parish Unitarian Church in Northborough. Funeral services will take place Friday at 11 a.m. at the same church.

The Tigers held a moment of silence for Fidrych prior to their Wednesday afternoon game against the White Sox at Comerica Park. They also played a video tribute remembering his career and his incredible 1976 season, which won him the American League Rookie of the Year Award that year.

[OB1kNOb]

RIP, Bird.

[theDentist]

I lived in the next town over from Northboro, and would go there every so often to visit friends and go to a cigar store. I was in the store once when I met him. He was with one of his friends. He was a very humble guy... almost seemed shocked that anyone recognized him so many years later.

Bye Bird. Thanks.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I wonder if he talked to the gravel..

RIP..

[freeplancer]

Another childhood hero bites the dust.

[cripplecreek]

I was lucky to get a chance to watch him pitch in person once as a kid.

[Deaf Smith]

"Fidrych died by suffocation."

I guess this could be true if your entire body was wrapped around your neck & the PTO shaft.

[SamAdams76]

The first time I saw Fidrych pitch was on Monday Night baseball in June of 1976 when he beat the NY Yankees 5-1. This was way before the Internet so even though he was already a local phenomenon in the Detroit market, not many knew of him in the rest of the country. This nationally televised game was the first look most people got of "The Bird."

I remember how wild the Detroit crowd got over his antics and how after the game, they stood and cheered for minutes until he came back out on the field to wave his cap. He ended up being 19-9 that year for a lousy team that finished in fifth place. His ERA was something like 2.19.

Could have been one of the best pitchers of all time but he suffered a career-ending injury the following spring.