The Michigoo Daily-Tuesday, August 1, 1978--Page 15
FIDRYCH LOOKS FOR SILVER LINING
Birdflying
By DENNIS SABO
Special to The Daily
LAKELAND, Fla. - Poor Bird. Poor, Bird. He
thinks nobody loves him anymore.
Not even the ball the Detroit Tiger pitcher once
coaxed into the craziest curves and sliders just two
years ago.
IT TENDS TO ignore him now and the result is
worse than a, um, Bird in a gilded cage.
The Bird, otherwise known in America as Mark
Fidrych - before Monday Night Baseball made
him an all-star - continued his peck-by-peck ap-
proach back to major league stardom at Joker
Marchant Stadium in Lakeland Friday night, and
the result, in his own words, would make ABC's
ratings drop more sharply than the four-letter wor-
ds the Bird tossed in his wake on the way to the
clubhouse.
"I got bombed," said Fidrych, in a more mellow
moment afterward. "Some days you have it and
some days you don't. Today I didn't."
Actually, Fidrych's performance wasn't that bad
if you don't count the triple, two doubles and the
misplayed inside-the-park homerun that cost him
his first Class A Florida State League loss, 5-1, from
the bats of the last-place Winter Haven Red Sox.
AT ONE POINT, the Bird threw nine out of ten
pitches for balls, with the lone strike banging off the
leftfield wall, some 370 feet away, for a run-scoring
double.
Fidrych lasted four innings, gave up five runs and
four extra base hits, two walks and a wild pitch
before 1,500 fans who cordially ushered his depar-
ture as if the comeback were complete, not delete
the greatness he bestowed on baseball in his rookie
among dense clouds
season.
Life in the minors must not be agreeing with the
Bird. Before the game he would offer no comment to
any reporter on any subject. When photographers
tried to capture him warming his tender right arm
that sent him South for the second time this season,
they promptly were told where they could fly.
"I don't care what Tim (Johnson, Lakeland
'What I miss most is being in
the show. They're waiting for
you and nobody else.'
-Mark 'The Bird'Fidrych
general manager) wants. I want what I want. Now
get out of the way," the Bird said.
FOLLOWING THE game in the locker room, af-
ter throwing his mitt and downing a beer, Fidrych
reflected on his fall from the big leagues.
"What I miss most is being in the show," the Bird
said. "They're waiting for you and nobody else. You
lose your pride, but you gotta think you're still
playing baseball. I'll be happy to get up there and be
with my friends again."
A more important reason for the Bird's failure
was offered by Lakeland manager Jim Leyland,
who said Fidrych faltered due to a lack of concen-
tration and rhythm, not because of the sore arm
plagued by tendonitis that sent him packing for the
minors in the first place.
In fact, Fidrych said his arm felt better Friday
night than in his previous brief - but successful -
pitching performance at Ft. Myers where he
yielded just two hits in three innings.
"I'll be back," Fidrych said, staring blankly at
the floor. "I'm just trying to get myself back
together. I hope the arm holds up. That's all you've
got to hope for."
FIDRYCH was scheduled to pitch one more game
for Lakeland before a flight back north this week,
but Tiger management, concerned about his recent
performance, has tacked on yet another Class A
start.
When he returns, he may be sporting a
knuckleball - a pitch he pulled out of his zany bag
of tricks Friday.
"Yeah, I'm working on it. I'll be ready to do
something. I'm in shape and ready to go. You just
have to wait for the bosses."
At any rate, having a 2-0 record before his arm
faltered in April, the Bird knows he's at a crossroad
in his career.
In departing from Friday's game - exhibiting
that same fabled bobbing stride that carried him so
many times in happiness - he left with eyes
enraged and peeled to the ground, four-letter words
planted with each step he took to the clubhouse.
DESPITE HIS attitude, advice was still given.
"C'mon, get your head together, man," one of his
crazies said, a step removed from the Bird's past.
"Gotta get the Bird flying again."
Fidrych just muttered another inexplicable
comment. But with Detroit just a step down the road
the advice must have hit home.
C'mon, Bird. We still love ya.
Daily reporter Dennis Saho is in Florida for the sum-
mter. working as an intern for the Tampa Times.
sports of the DAILY
Kansas tabs Iowan AD
By The Associated Press
LAWRENCE, Kan. - The University of Kansas has turned to another
Big Eight Conference school for its new athletic director, selecting Bob Mar-
cum of Iowa State, according to the Lawrence Daily Journal-World and
radio station KANU.
The newspaper and radio station reported yesterday that Marcum, a 41-
year-old associate athletic director at ISU, would be named to the post at a
news conference this morning.
Marcum, whom the Journal-World said was the overwhelming choice of
a special search committee, will succeed Clyde Walker, who resigned May
24 to become athletic director at the University of North Carolina-Charlot-
te.
Landry inks long-term pact
PONTIAC - Greg Landry, 10-year veteran quarterback for the Detroit
Lions, signed a new multi-year contract yesterday, officials of the National
Football League said yesterday. Details of the agreement were not
disclosed.
Since he joined the Lions, Landry has played in 98 games, thrown 909
completions in 1,670 attempts, for 11,999 yards and 79 touchdowns. Coach
Monte Clark has indicated that Landry, 31, will be the team's starter this
year.
The Lions also announced seven cuts and one resignation, all of whom
were signed as free agents.
Those who will not play with the team this year are veteran offensive
lineman Larron Jackson, rookie running backs Irv Stevenson and Tim Cun-
ningham, quarterback Tom McLaughlin, wide receiver Tony Watson, defen-
sive back Ken McAllister, tight end Jim Stowe and offensive lineman Kit
Lathrop. The Lions faceBuffalo in an exhibition game on Saturday.
"HOW DO you do it, Billy? Yogi Berra seems to be asking in amazement as
Martin acknowledges the cheers of the Yankee faithful last Saturday. Martin, who
resigned last week, was rehired to manage the Yanks in the 1980 season.
WONDERING What
to eat tonight?
BELL'S hasgreat
pizza & grinders!
S. State & Packard-995-0232
open from i I a.m. to I a.m.
FREE DELIVERIES fron 4:30 p.m.
}
Summer Daily
Sports Staff
Sports Editor: Bob Miller
Executive Sports Editor: Paul
Campbell. NightEditors: Alan
Fanger, Gary Kicincki, Liz Mac,
Brian Martin, Dan. Perrin, Dave
Renbarger. . .
We specialize in
ladies's and children's
hairstyling
DASCOLA STYLISTS
* 615 E. Liberty-668-9329
03739 Washtenaw-971-9975
" 613 N. Maple-7612733
"'611 E. Unbersity-662-0354