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Memories of Mark Fidrych Trivia Quiz

Major League Baseball lost one if its true ambassadors with the passing of Mark Fidrych. Although his career was short, he brought the love for the game back to our hearts in that summer of 1976.

A multiple-choice quiz by spice2. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
spice2

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
308,621

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
384

Awards
Top 5% quiz!

Last 3 plays: andymuenz (9/10), redwaldo (9/10), Guest 71 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Mark Fidrych's Major League Baseball journey, to the roster of the 1976 Detroit Tigers, started 2 years earlier in 1974. In the 1974 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected Mark in the 10th round. What position did Detroit draft him to play? Hint

Third Base

Catcher

Pitcher

First Base

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Question 2 of 10

2. While on the Minor League baseball team Lakeland Tigers, one of Fidrych's coaches gave him which nickname? Hint

The Bird

The Elephant

The Giraffe

The Walrus

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Question 3 of 10

3. Fidrych made his Major League Baseball debut on April 20, 1976, in a game that Detroit lost to Oakland 6-5. His first start came on May 15th against the Cleveland Indians. He had a no-hitter into the seventh inning, until which Indians third baseman broke it up with a single? Hint

Duane Kuiper

Rico Carty

Buddy Bell

John Lowenstein

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Monday Night Baseball" came to Detroit on June 28, 1976. The Tigers opponent was the New York Yankees. The national audience finally saw Fidrych in action. He beat the Yankees that night, giving up 1 run on 7 hits. That lone run came from a solo home run in the 2nd inning by which Yankee catcher? Hint

Elrod Hendricks

Chris Chambliss

Mickey Rivers

Willie Randolph

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 1976, Mark Fidrych became only the second rookie since 1962 to be a starting pitcher in the MLB All-Star game. He was chosen by the American League manager Darrell Johnson to start the game. Who were his Detroit Tigers teammates that started in the outfield? Hint

Lynn & Yastrzemski

LeFlore & Staub

Rivers & Randolph

McRae & Otis

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Question 6 of 10

6. Fidrych started 29 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1976. Of those 29, how many complete games did he pitch? Hint

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Question 7 of 10

7. During the 1976 season, Mark Fidrych won against some rather good opposing pitchers. Frank Tanana, Gaylord Perry, Bert Blyleven, Ken Holtzman, Rollie Fingers and Dock Ellis, to name a few. For a pitcher to be successful, he relies a great deal upon his catcher. Fidrych had the same catcher for all of his games, beginning with that first start on May 15. This catcher was a replacement on the roster, for an injured Milt May. His debut in the big leagues was May 4, 1976. Who was this catcher? Hint

Thurman Munson

Bruce Kimm

Johnny Bench

Carlton Fisk

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Question 8 of 10

8. Fidrych ran away with the American League Rookie of the Year Award for 1976 with a landslide victory over Butch Wynegar of the Twins. However, in the voting for the American League Cy Young Award, he could only garner enough votes for second place. Losing to the pitcher, who had also won the award in 1975, who won the 1976 AL Cy Young Award? Hint

Tom Seaver

Randy Jones

Jim Palmer

Don Sutton

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Question 9 of 10

9. During the 1976 season, Mark Fidrych won 19 games and lost 9. He led the American League in two different statistical categories for the year. Complete games was one category he led, with 24. He not only led the American League in this second category, but he was also statistically better than the National League top pitcher in this same category. In what statistical category was he the best? Hint

Innings Pitches

Wild Pitches

Strikeouts

Earned Run Average

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Question 10 of 10

10. What number was on the back of Mark "The Bird" Fidrych's jersey? Hint

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Pitcher

Mark was drafted out of Worcester Academy High School in Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester Academy has had a total of 4 draftees from their school, all were pitchers.

2. While on the Minor League baseball team Lakeland Tigers, one of Fidrych's coaches gave him which nickname?

Answer: The Bird

He was dubbed "The Bird" because of his resemblance to the Sesame Street character "Big Bird."
Lakeland had been affiliated with the Detroit Tigers since 1967, in the Class A Florida State League. Joker Marchant Stadium was their home stadium. After the 2006 season, the club became known as the Lakeland Flying Tigers, being named in honor of the Flying Tigers Fighter Squadron of World War II, which trained in Lakeland. During the 1976-1978 seasons, the team was managed by Jim Leyland.

Answer: Buddy Bell

He lost the no-hitter, but he won his first Major League game. He pitched a complete game, giving up only two hits for a final score of 2-1. From that very first game, his extra activities that were part of his game were noticed. Talking to the ball, talking to himself, grooming the mound, etc. Those things along with his natural abilities made him a dominant pitcher if only for a short time.

Answer: Elrod Hendricks

Mark Fidrych threw a complete game in 1 hour and 51 minutes, in front of over 47,000 fans at Tiger Stadium to beat the Yankees and Ken Holtzman, 5-1.
After the game, the fans insisted that he come back out to the field. He finally did and received a standing ovation. To Tiger fans, he was that one bright moment to remember.

Answer: LeFlore & Staub

The 1976 All-Star game was played in Philadelphia, on July 13. Veterans Stadium held the almost 64,000 fans that were in attendance. The controversy that year was about the number of Cincinnati Reds on the National League roster. The fans had voted in five of the Reds to the starting lineup.

Then Sparky Anderson, the manager of the Reds and the NL team, named two more Reds to the reserve list. The Reds ended up with 7 of their 8 every day players on the All-Star team. The Detroit Tigers had 3 starters for the American League in '76. No other team other than the Reds, had more than 1 starter. Mark Fidrych, Ron LeFlore and Rusty Staub were the representatives from the Detroit Tigers.

6. Fidrych started 29 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1976. Of those 29, how many complete games did he pitch?

Answer: 24

Just one of his amazing stats, an American League leading 24 complete games. His numbers spoke of his dominance. Of 19 wins, 18 were complete games.
Of those 18 complete games, 3 were 11-innings in length. Of his 9 losses, 6 were complete games, one of 10 innings and another of 12 innings. Of those 6 complete games, the run differential in 3 of those losses, was only 1 run.

Answer: Bruce Kimm

Bruce Kimm was credited with this quote, "His control was so good, as the phrase goes, you could catch him with a pair of pliers. He was really something. Best control I've ever seen for that year, game in and game out."

Answer: Jim Palmer

Fidrych also came in number 11 in the American League MVP voting for 1976, right behind Jim Palmer at number 10. Thurman Munson was the winner of the MVP Award for 1976.

Answer: Earned Run Average

His ERA was 2.34, while the National League leader (John Denny, St. Louis) had a 2.52 ERA. He also pitched 250 innings, giving up only 53 walks, that averaged out to 1.91 walks per 9 innings.

10. What number was on the back of Mark "The Bird" Fidrych's jersey?

Answer: 20

He wore it in all his seasons in the Majors. Mark Steven Fidrych, 54, passed away on April 13, 2009, in an accident on his Northborough, Massachusetts farm.

Source: Author spice2

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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