Mark Fidrych - Honors and Tributes

Honors and Tributes

Fidrych was inducted into the Shrine of the Eternals of the Baseball Reliquary in 2002.

At the time of his death he was about to be inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. Fidrych was, in fact, so inducted posthumously on June 18, 2009.

In one of Bill James' baseball books, he quoted the Yankees' Graig Nettles as telling about an at-bat against Fidrych, who, as usual, was talking to the ball before pitching to Nettles. Immediately Graig jumped out of the batter's box and started talking to his bat. He reportedly said, "Never mind what he says to the ball. You just hit it over the outfield fence!" Nettles struck out. "Damn," he said. "Japanese bat. Doesn't understand a word of English." (Ironically, Nettles actually hit Fidrych very well in his career, with a .389 average and two home runs.)

On April 15, 2009, the Tigers paid tribute to Fidrych at Comerica Park with a moment of silence and a video before their game against the Chicago White Sox.

On June 19, 2009, Jessica Fidrych honored her father at Comerica Park by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to manager Jim Leyland for the Tigers game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Prior to throwing the first pitch, Jessica "manicured the mound" just like her father. Ann Fidrych, widow of Mark Fidrych, was also present on the field for the ceremony.