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The remainder of the 1976 season had the Bird getting six more wins against the Indians, Rangers, White Sox, Yankees, and the Brewers, to sell-out crowds. "Bird-Mania" was limited to the presence of the Bird playing; without him fan attendence was below average. On September 22, only 3,616 fans showed up at Tiger Stadium to watch the Indian beat the Tigers, 3-0...without the Bird on the mound.
The remainder of the 1976 season had the Bird getting six more wins against the Indians, Rangers, White Sox, Yankees, and the Brewers, to sell-out crowds. "Bird-Mania" was limited to the presence of the Bird playing; without him fan attendence was below average. On September 22, only 3,616 fans showed up at Tiger Stadium to watch the Indian beat the Tigers, 3-0...without the Bird on the mound.
==After '76==
Detoit fans expected another season with the Bird, and Fidrych seemingly wasn't going to disappoint them, but acting like his usual self during spring training in 1977 resulted in torn cartilage in one knee [http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/fidryma01.php]. After his injury had healed some weeks later, he felt something more ominous in a game against the Orioles: a shoulder injury which curtailed his pitching and limiting him to ten games during the season, and managing to win six. His shoulder injury kept him from playing at all during the remainder of his time with the Tigers, and he was released as a free agent in 1981. He attempted a comeback of sorts while on a minor-league team for the Boston Red Sox, but the injury - diagnosed only in 1985 as a torn rotator cuff [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/columnist/bodley/2006-08-10-fidrych_x.htm] - forced his retirement for good in 1983.
Despite this, Fidrych was a cheerful as ever. Jim Palmer, a pitcher for the Orioles who was selected in 1976 for the [[Cy Young Award]] over the Bird, remarked later on a small event they had together on a golf course. “He did embrace life. I remember him trying to play golf when he couldn’t play golf and enjoying every minute of it.” [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-obit-fidrych&prov=ap&type=lgns]
==Retirement and death==
==Retirement and death==