European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 12, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Rebirth of the Bird do Iii Magazine by Malcolm Moran new York times a Rainy i Ruimy afternoon insect Taylor stadium a cheerful Little  on the Bank where the Raccoon River meet the pcs Monics. There in pcs to incs where  players arc not As self assured As the ones in the big leagues and where fewer people and television cameras watch them play the pitchers from the Livans Ville triplets the top farm club of the Delroi tigers went through the Monotony of their pre game running. This was no fun run. The pitchers jogged Back and Forth along warning track gravel boiler suited for a parking of than a base Ball Field beside advertising signs on the Outfield Fence. Mark Fidrych could be heard chattering As far away As Home plate As he ran in Center Field. The Blue and Orange trim on his uni form pants was the same As the uniform he once wore in Detroit. His Blond Harp Marx curls were matted in the rain but the face was familiar. He appeared to be the same person who four years ago Sud Denly became one of the greatest attractions in major league history. For presidents and pitchers four years is a Long time ago. I m a minor leaguer now Fidrych said. I Ain t no major  la has occurred to everyone involved at one Lime or another that Fidrych a pc non at 21, in finished at 25, and faces the question every athlete must face is this he end i was t wondering whether it was  Fidrych said. I was just wondering if i was Ever going to Conn  four seasons ago Mark the Bird Fidrych won 19 games for the tigers but his Appeal went much further than that. It was not just the victories that explained Why 901,239 fans 31,077 for each game came to watch him Pilch. They also came to watch him run to and from the Mound stoop to one knee and arrange the dirt until the Hill his Hill was just the Way he wanted it cheer his infield cars after difficult plays and talked to the baseball be fore he let it go. In 1976, Jim Ley land the Evansville manager said reverently he was one of the most popular people figures not just baseball players in the whole United  and now after the knee surgery and the tendinitis in his right shoulder on his pitching Arm and the three wasted years he s just a spot reliever Leyland  Leyland has seen More Prog Ress in recent weeks than there has been in three years a period in which the Pitcher has won Only eight major league games and while Fidrych is throwing the Ball faster than 90 Miles an hour and says there is no pain he is still so far from the tigers starting rotation that management docs not want to let him Sec How far. Bothered by Arm trouble Fidrych had been relegated to Relief stints with Eta Stille earlier in the year but has had three Imp Ossite starts recently. And last week he finally won his first game of the season after four straight losses. On the Day after a disastrous Fidrych Start in Early May. Jim Campbell the president Ana general manager of the tigers thought the Pitcher s career might be Over. The night before Fidrych had re tired just Isle Oklahoma City Batter before there were three singles a double and a Quick exit. He had never left a game that soon As a Starling Pitcher. The first pitch he threw was a hard Slider said Steve Patchon. His Catcher the it night it had some pop on it. And then every pitch was successively slower. He said his Arm did t hurl it just did t feel right like it was dead or some  the next Day Fidrych called Campbell to ask to have a shoulder operation. I was very  Campbell said. He was Al the Bottom. He said we just gotta Cut on this thing. I can t gel any vol oily he was talking in circles. We had to Tell him something because he was very Down. The last thing 1 wanted was an pc ration As an Cpl oratory thing and our doctors also fell that  so Campbell told Fidrych he would come to Evansville the following weekend to talk about the future about a switch to the Bull pen or perhaps a trip Back to the rehabilitation clinic Fidrych tried last sea son ill have to admit Campbell said. I thought what else is left1?" Campbell found out the other Friday Afler Midnight w Hen the phone rang at his Home. It was Leyland. He was ecstatic. He said. You won t believe what Hap  Campbell said and then he listened to a Story about a hypnotist and five strikeout in three innings in a came that night and the rebirth of the Bird. The following saturday when Campbell sat Donn to lunch in Etan Stile Fidrych told him All about his new Arm. Not a healthier one or a More Congo Reahle one. A new one Complete with a new rotator cuff. Hell Campbell said if he thinks he s got one. I think he docs  since i he Spring of 1977, when the Bird was first injured there have been hundreds of letters sent to the Detroit tigers from doctors chiropractors osteopaths acupuncture proponents and just Plain Fidrych fans with remedies injections ideas and Hopes. They offered to Send ligaments. Mark Fidrych spins As a grounder zips past during Start in 1979. I Ain t no major  they suggested thai he chop Down Trees or Slick his Arm Inlo a Bunch of bees. I Don t care How Kooky they  Campbell said. They want to help the  for those same three years. Lee Silcon. A hypnotist and motivational therapist from Evansville saved clippings of stories about Fidrych and underlined quotes that led him to believe that the problem might be somewhere under those Golden curls. He said he had worked with swimmers from the University of Evansville and youth programs and Bob Molinaro a for Mer member of the triplets now Hilling .365 for the Chicago White sox. The hypnotist had this theory about Fidrych thai his subconscious was controlling his right Arm the Way an emergency Brake would hold Back a car. Leyland went with Fidrych to the hypnotist s Home on april 17, to make sure everything was legitimate which it  the hypnotism was not the Way it is shown in magic shows no trances that Start with the snap of the fingers no watching the watch. We just goofed around with some things Fidrych said. I just go there and close my eyes. I m not under. It s not one of those things where if he says be a Monkey you go and become a  Fidrych had seen at least seven or eight doctors with no Postic results. So while Fidrych moved to the bullpen threw nearly every Day to build up strength in his Arm and concentrated on the position of his Arm in his delivery he also spent time with the hypnotist. The hypnotist was reluctant to talk about the sessions because he said the tigers told him not to. But Leyland Remco Rcd hearing Fidrych saying at one session " Well i think it s my rotator cuff and the Guy said let s put a new one in suppose he s in a Frame of mind that he thinks he inserted a new parlor  Fidrych told teammates the same Story. The hypnotist said it says in the Bible what you think in your heart so shall you be if you picture yourself with a new Arm maybe you have one. I would t want to verify or deny it but i know he feels that Way. I think it s  whatever. In three recent appearances All in Relief. Fidrych pitched a total of nine and two thirds innings giving up two earned runs and my hits with eight strike outs and four walks. His earned run aver age went from 9.39 to 6.40. He is even landscaping the Mound again and talking to the Ball. For the first time Leyland said i really believe we be got something working. Thai s nol to say hell be ready in two weeks or a month or All year. But we be got the Ball  All you have logo by is the re sults 1 Campbell said. If Mark throws without pain and feeling Good that s the Bottom  Leyland said he and Fidrych have been Given the responsibility of determining that line. There will be three criteria he said to Sec if and when Fidrych is ready consistency command of his pitches and Freedom of any pain. It sounds so simple. Thursday june 12, 1980 the stars and stripes Page 13