carlton Fisk: Beyond the Swing
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Though he’s largely remembered for one swing and the immediate seconds that followed, Carlton Fisk established a legacy of longevity behind the plate. He finished among the top 10 in Most Valuable Player Award balloting in four of his first 12 full seasons and ranked between 13th and 18th on three other occasions.
On Fisk’s 75th birthday, here’s a list of 10 other accomplishments or moments that defined his career.
1. Fair or foul?
Oct. 21, 1975
Fisk’s signature moment was his 12th-inning homer that enabled the Red Sox to outlast the Reds, 7-6, in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series — widely considered one of the finest ballgames ever played.A television camera caught Fisk,who pulled Pat Darcy’s 1-0 pitch down the left-field line,briefly yet urgently making waving motions as he willed the ball to reach fair territory. The image of the fervent Fisk has etched itself into baseball history.
2. Setting standards
1969; 1971-93
Through his 24 seasons in the Majors, a record for catchers, Fisk gave other receivers goals to pursue by establishing two significant career marks for his position: catching in 2,226 games and hitting 351 homers as a backstop.Fisk hit his 328th homer to pass Johnny bench on Aug. 17, 1990; Mike Piazza surpassed Fisk on May 5, 2004. Fisk eclipsed Bob Boone for most games by a catcher on June 22, 1993. Ivan Rodriguez overtook Fisk on June 17, 2009.
Fisk became the American League’s first unanimous Rookie of the Year Award winner by garnering all 24 first-place votes. He batted .293 wiht 22 home runs and nine triples,a rare total for a catcher,while compiling .370 OBP, .538 SLG and .909 OPS marks.