James Douglas Bird (March 5,1950 –September 24,2024) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. [1] He played from 1973 to 1983. Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the third round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase.
During his career,Bird was used in a variety of pitching roles,frequently shifting from the bullpen to the starting rotation and back. Bird appeared in six postseason games from 1976 through 1978,all with the Royals,and each time against the New York Yankees,posting a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 innings pitched. After good work in the 1976 and 1977 playoffs,Bird surrendered a two-run home run to Thurman Munson in the eighth inning of Game Three during the 1978 American League Championship Series.
Bird died in Asheville,North Carolina on September 24,2024,at the age of 74. [2]
Mark Steven Fidrych,nicknamed "the Bird",was an American professional baseball pitcher who played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Detroit Tigers.
Floyd Franklin Bannister is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros (1977–1978),Seattle Mariners (1979–1982),Chicago White Sox (1983–1987),Kansas City Royals (1988–1989),California Angels (1991),and Texas Rangers (1992). Bannister also played for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB),in 1990. Bannister was the first overall pick in the 1976 MLB draft.
James Howard Sundberg is an American former professional baseball player,television sports analyst and executive. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1974 to 1989,most prominently as a member of the Texas Rangers where he established himself as one of the top defensive catchers of his era. A three-time All-Star player,Sundberg won six consecutive Gold Glove Awards during his tenure with the Rangers. Later in his career,he won a World Series championship as a member of the Kansas City Royals in 1985. He also played for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs. Sundberg was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2003.
Paul William Splittorff Jr. was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher for the Kansas City Royals from 1970 to 1984. After his playing career,Splittorff became a television color commentator for the Royals. He was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 1987.
Richard William Tidrow was an American professional baseball pitcher and the senior vice president of player personnel and senior advisor to the general manager for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Patrick Paul Zachry was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds,New York Mets,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Philadelphia Phillies from 1976 to 1985.
Douglas Reid Jones was an American professional baseball player. During a 16-year career in Major League Baseball as a relief pitcher,he played for the Milwaukee Brewers,Cleveland Indians,Houston Astros (1992–1993),Philadelphia Phillies (1994),Baltimore Orioles (1995),Chicago Cubs (1996) and Oakland Athletics (1999–2000). Jones was a five-time MLB All-Star and a member of the 300 save club.
Wayne Lee Twitchell was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.
Richard Anthony Drago was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Royals (1969–1973),Boston Red Sox,California Angels (1976–1977),Baltimore Orioles (1977),and Seattle Mariners (1981). He batted and threw right-handed.
Charles Douglas Bair is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for 15 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons —from 1976 to 1990 —for seven teams.
Douglas Slaten was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2006 to 2012 for the Arizona Diamondbacks,Washington Nationals,and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rawlins Jackson "Rawly" Eastwick is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds,St. Louis Cardinals,New York Yankees,Philadelphia Phillies,Kansas City Royals,and Chicago Cubs,from 1975 to 1981.
The 1979 Minnesota Twins season was a season in American baseball. The team finished 82–80,fourth in the American League West.
The 1974 Kansas City Royals season was their sixth in Major League Baseball. The Royals finished fifth in the American League West at 77–85,13 games behind the Oakland Athletics. Pitcher Steve Busby set a single-season franchise record with 22 victories.
The 1977 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 96th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise;their 91st in the National League. The Pirates finished second in the National League East with a record of 96–66. This was the first season where the player's last names appeared on the back of the jerseys.
The 1978 San Diego Padres season was the tenth in franchise history. They finished in fourth place in the National League West with a record of 84–78,eleven games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. This was the Padres' first-ever winning season.
The 1979 Philadelphia Phillies season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the National League East,14 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates.
The 1976 Detroit Tigers season was the 76th season for the Detroit Tigers competing in Major League Baseball as a member of the American League. In their third season under manager Ralph Houk,the Tigers compiled a 74–87 record and finished in fifth place in the American League East,24 games behind the New York Yankees. The team improved by 17 wins over its 1975 performance for the largest improvement by any team in the American League. The team played its home games at Tiger Stadium and attracted 1,467,020 fans,ranking fourth of the 12 teams in the American League.
The 1979 Major League Baseball season concluded with the Pittsburgh Pirates defeating the Baltimore Orioles in seven games in the 1979 World Series. None of the post-season teams of 1977 or 1978 returned to this year's postseason.
Douglas Wildes Fister is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners,Detroit Tigers,Washington Nationals,Houston Astros,Boston Red Sox,and Texas Rangers from 2009 through 2018.