Carlton Fisk

Lore & Background

At the time of his retirement, Fisk held the record for most home runs all-time by a catcher with 376 (since surpassed by Mike Piazza). He has held several age- or longevity-related records, including the record for most games played at the position of catcher with 2,226 (later surpassed by Iván Rodríguez, who also shared Fisk's nickname "Pudge"). Fisk still holds the AL record for most years served at the position (24). Fisk was voted to the All-Star team 11 times and won three Silver Slugger Awards which is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position. In 2000, Fisk was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Reader's Guide

Fisk was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont, but according to Fisk, that was only because Bellows Falls had the nearest hospital to his hometown, Charlestown, New Hampshire. He was raised by his parents, Leona and Cecil, along with older brother Calvin, younger brothers Conrad and Cedric and younger sisters Janet and June. He grew up in Charlestown, across the Connecticut River from Bellows Falls. Fisk attended Charlestown High School, where he played baseball (under Coach Ralph Silva), soccer, and basketball.

Because his family is from New Hampshire, he insisted that the organization remove from his plaque in the Red Sox Hall of Fame its characterization of him as a Vermont native. Fisk earned his longtime nickname, "Pudge", because he was a chubby youngster. He played on the Charlestown High baseball team, appearing at third base, catcher and pitcher for Coach Silva. Two of his teammates were his brothers Calvin and Conrad, who were drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and Montreal Expos, respectively, but never made it to the minors due to Calvin's being drafted and inducted into military service during the Vietnam War and Conrad hurting his arm.

Since the high school baseball season was limited to 17 games annually due to the inclement New England weather, he also played in the American Legion baseball league in 1964, appearing with the team from Claremont, New Hampshire. In 1965, he played for the Legion Post 37 team in Bellows Falls that had won the 1964 Vermont State Championship. Fisk excelled at basketball. When he was a sophomore, he was a starter and helped Charlestown to an undefeated season and the 1963 New Hampshire Class M championship.

His play in a 1964 high school basketball tournament in the Boston Garden drew the attention of Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown, who told a local reporter, "You have got to tell me—who is that kid?" Fisk had 42 points and 38 rebounds in the 1965 state tournament semifinal loss to Hopkinton High School. He was awarded a basketball scholarship by the University of New Hampshire, where he started for the UNH Wildcats while also playing baseball. He met his wife Linda Foust while at UNH.

The freshman team that Fisk played for was undefeated for the 1965–66 season. In 1966, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Orleans Cardinals.

Did You Know?

• He led the American League with nine triples in 1972, the last catcher to do so.
• Fisk served in the Army Reserve from 1967 to 1971.