By BRENDAN MCGAIR

Sports writer

PAWTUCKET — On Monday, Pawtucket Red Sox President Mike Tamburro took a walk through the McCoy Stadium concourse, where history is brought to life with a series of murals highlighting the proud moments in franchise history.
In an ironic twist, Tamburro paused at the display paying homage to, arguably, the greatest pitchers’ matchup ever to unfold in the 65 years McCoy has been in operation. That’s how Tamburro views the Colossian set of events that unfolded July 1, 1982, when Mark “The Bird” Fidrych opposed Dave Righetti of Columbus.
A few hours later, Tamburro and the rest of the PawSox family were saddened to learn about the untimely passing of Fidrych. “It felt so strange to hear the news,” Tamburro recalled on Tuesday. “The first thing that pops into your head is that the guy’s baseball career was cut short and so too was his life.”
Echoed PawSox owner Ben Mondor: “That was a shocker; it shook us when we got the news. He wasn’t here long, but he made a helluva impression. He was a very friendly guy who would perk up your world when you talked to him.”
Fidrych, 54, burnished his reputation as a colorful sort, whether it was patting an infielder in the rear after a good play or pacing feverously on the mound. His antics made the Massachusetts native a hit with fans at every one of his stops.
“The histrionics, they were all genuine, no act. He loved playing this game,” Tamburro said. “Since ‘The Bird,’ the industry has embraced the fans; there’s no doubt out it, because of his charisma.”
Fidrych’s indelible mark around these parts was created the night he faced Righetti. It was hailed as a marquee occasion because it pitted two former A.L. Rookies of the Year at the Triple-A level. Fidrych won the honor in 1976 as a hot shot phenom with Detroit, Righetti doing likewise with the New York Yankees in 1981.
Fidrych arrived in Pawtucket after taking a sabbatical from baseball in 1981. He was broken down physically, suffering from knee and shoulder ailments, but still generated plenty of buzz.
“There was the hope he would catch one last bit of good luck,” Tamburro said. “When he came to the (International League) he sold out his first two starts at McCoy.”
The Fidrych vs. Righetti card was hailed as the hottest ticket in town. At the time, McCoy Stadium sat 6,000, but somehow, Tamburro said, the final attendance figure ended up exceeding 9,500. It was the biggest crowd in McCoy history before the stadium was renovated in 1999.
“Don’t ask me where the other 3,000 came from,” Mondor chuckled.
“Hundreds were sitting in the aisles, people were belly-to-belly in the walkways,” Tamburro said. “Even people were standing on their cars beyond the leftfield fence; everyone wanted a piece of this game.”
Righetti fulfilled his end of the bargain, striking out 12 of the first 15 PawSox he faced. He headed for the showers after five innings. “I think he was sending a message to [Yankees owner George] Steinbrenner,” said Mondor.
Fidrych was hardly on top of his game, yet still continued to pitch because of the fervor surrounding his appearance, a major reason why then-PawSox manager Joe Morgan stuck with the colorful hurler. Protecting a 7-5 lead in the ninth, Fidrych was quickly running out of steam. Columbus had two runners aboard before sending up former Red Sox third baseman (and later Pawtucket manager) Butch Hobson to pinch hit. The story goes Hobson arrived at the ballpark right around first pitch.
Fidrych struck out Hobson to end the game, but the jammed audience clamored for more “Bird watching.”
“For the first time since we came aboard, there was a curtain call for a player,” recalled Tamburro. “It went on for nearly five minutes before someone inside the clubhouse told him to go outside and acknowledge the crowd. Only then were the people satisfied.”
There’s a picture hanging in Mondor’s office commemorating the night Fidrych and Righetti locked horns. “That was 26 years ago and it’s still on the wall,” Mondor said.
Thanks to Fidrych, McCoy Stadium was the epicenter of the baseball universe, attracting attention both near and far.
 “About a week after Fidrych and Righetti, (New York Times sports writer) Jim Dorso sent us a note,” said Tamburro. “He was there for ‘The Longest Game’ the year prior. He wrote: ‘I don’t know what it is about Pawtucket, R.I., but I’ll be back to McCoy Stadium soon. I’ll leave it up to you to present the event.’ ”
The PawSox plan to honor Fidrych’s memory with a moment of silence prior to Friday’s McCoy opener against Lehigh Valley.