Carlton Fisk 2000 Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Carlton Ernest Fisk (born December 26, 1947) is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox (1969, 1971-1980) and Chicago White Sox (1981-1993). The 6'2", 220 lb Fisk was known in the majors as "Pudge", his childhood nickname as he had been a chubby youngster, or "The Commander". He was the first player to be unanimously voted American League Rookie of the Year (1972).
Fisk is best known for "waving fair" his game-winning home run in the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. At the time of his retirement in 1993, he held the record for most home runs all-time by a catcher with 351 (since passed by Mike Piazza). Fisk held the record for most games played at the position of catcher (2,226) until June 17, 2009 when he was surpassed by another "Pudge", Iván Rodríguez. Fisk still holds the American League record for most years served behind the plate (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.
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The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is home to the greatest stars and the history of the game. Located in scenic Cooperstown, New York, the Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the sport's history, honoring excellence within the game, and connecting generations through baseball.

[@insaBordeNation]

I'm in my fifties and STILL want to grow up to be Carlton Fisk. A great player, person and man. Baseball needs more Carlton Fisk's.

[@chris2302]

Yep! I loved it when he put Deion Sanders in his place!

[@shellyweiers121]

We absolutely do Jeff well said

[@leighblacklocke7190]

I admire him, too...very much.

[@waynejohanson1083]

This is what it means to be a man. This is what it means to be a great role model.

[@waynejohanson1083]

@@chris2302 Me two. He disrespected the game and he put him in his place. Love it.

[@randyjones3180]

Very classy speech. Liked how he recognized Sparky and Perez.

[@NinjaTrump]

Randy Jones how not to recognized sparky and Perez BIG Doggie two legends that will never be forget

[@dcolivito8812]

Carlton Fisk one of the best catchers of all time. ...⚾

[@jafll141]

He's got the voice of a ring announcer. Very professional!

[@jockoadams3377]

Fisk thanked about as many doctors who stitched him back together and kept him healthy as players and coaches who helped develop and maintain his ability.

[@martinavila6821]

Thank you Mr Fisk ,for signing my baseball card. It was you playing for Chicago. You signed it for me when your son was playing in Fresno against the Bulldogs. Thank you Mr. Fisk. Congratulations for your contribution to the game of Baseball.

[@kelliejohnson3050]

1975 World Series, Game 6 nuff said, this guy was the real deal...

[@grey_castle]

I was only 1 1/2 or so when I was there, and it’s weird to think I’ll be 21 in a week. Time flies! Love you Bubba! ♥️

[@TheBatugan77]

Not really a Red Sox forever. Sorry Gracie.

[@022171]

"If you hadn't wanted to work, you oughtn't 'a hired out." That sums up my favorite ballplayer of all time. This man right here.

[@hondo3313]

Enjoyed every bit of his speech, heck of a player who I still admire!

[@docadams7099]

You have carried the torch well, Mr. Fisk. I'm a Reds fan, and I cheered the 1975-76 Reds team. But in the 1975 WS I gained another great team to cheer for in the Red Sox. You're a huge reason why I started cheering for the Red Sox, along with Yaz, Louis Tiant, Rick Burleson, and Fred Lynn.

[@jamestepera3356]

Best HOF speech ever. What a classic act

[@danielpena6240]

A Hall of fame Catcher, a Hall of fame Player, and person. A Red Sox forever.

[@waynejohanson1083]

And a White Sox forever

[@tonynix8394]

My favorite Player of All Time. Pudge is the Man.

[@gerardgiudice8303]

PURE CLASS

[@SWog617]

One of the saddest days of my young teen life was the day Carlton Fisk left my/his Boston Red Sox. Inexplicable how they (i.e., Haywood Sullivan and Red Sox management) could screw that up so badly. 😢

[@duquettebeats6312]

It's not what you achieve in life its what you overcome. Damn pudge this was amazing 👍

[@michaelwuttke5841]

Great voice, is he an announcer somewhere?

[@douglasshriver52]

class

[@gatepromise]

Worst 3 losses of players by the Red Sox: Babe Ruth, Mookie Betts, and this guy. Pudge. My idol as a kid, from my home state, big and handsome and played the game the right way and waved the ball fair and danced around the bases. They don’t make them like him any more. ❤️

[@johnybaltimore3687]

Sparky Lyle

[@timothyowsianik2360]

Forgot Lynn

[@sheawhitey5009]

Did anybody hire this man for his knowledge in baseball. Listening to him talk, that is University of knowledge in one man. As far as BASEBALL IS CONCERNED. HE PLAYED FOR MY CHICAGO WHITE SOXS... BEFORE THAT I WAS A BIG FAN. HE SIGNED AS BALL FOR ME ON MY BIRTHDAY AS A KID) WE SAT ON THE VISITOR SIDE AND OLD COMISKEY PARK. IT WAS A TWILIGHT I DOUBLE HITTER. FIRST GAME WAS OVER WITH WITH . AND MY DAD TOOK ME DOWN NEAR THE VISITORS' SIDE WHERE WE WERE SITTING SEEN ONE OF THEIR COACHES AND SAID TODAY IS MY SON'S BIRTHDAY IF YOU COULD GET THEM COUPLE PLAYERS TO SIGN UP ALL4HIM THE COACH LOOKED AT MY FATHER..I GOTTA YA. 30 MINUTES LATER. BIG BURLY DARK-SKINNED MAN IN A HEAVY SPANISH ACCENT ( LUIS TIANT) CAME UP AND SAID HEY, KID TODAY'S YOUR BIRTHDAY... HAPPY BIRTHDAY KID.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. DAMN, NEAR 15-16 PLAYERS SIGNED IT. FISK WAS ONE OF THEM. HE SIGNED HIS NAME WITH HAPPY B- DAY ON IT. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS GETTING SPOILED THAT DAY AND PUT THE BALL ON THE SIDE WITH MY GLOVE. MY FATHER IS BUYING ME EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. AND WHEN I TOOK BACK MY GLOVE THE BALL WAS GONE. 😭😭😭😭 SO THIS DAY... I MISS THAT ONE TREASURE, DID I HOLD NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE MY FATHER IS GONE. WE DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BUT THAT BALL WAS SOMETHING I LONG FOR. MY FATHER DIDN'T DO A LOT FOR ME AND MY LIFE BUT HE DID THAT. AND FOR THAT I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL.

[@johnjagodzinski407]

My favorite baseball player of all time. It was an honor to meet him in Rosemount, IL. when I got his autograph.

[@JJA1987]

Not too many Catchers play nearly 25 years in The Big Leagues like Pudge did

[@duanedorman6134]

I think the only one that came close was Bob Boone. But I think Pudge still comes out on top

[@larrykappel6868]

Unbelievable, one of the best HOF speeches I’ve ever heard . Great guy, on and off the field. Go Go White Sox baby

[@dfydeua7353]

Amazing Catcher. The best who has ever done it

[@dacosta0656]

Class Act

[@jeffreyadams8345]

Being a yankee fan I always dreaded playing against fisky, dam good player, and after tgat famous homerun the next day we all wanted to be him

[@mysticakhenaton1701]

at 7:23 Fisk mentioned CURT FLOOD. a guy African American ball players NEVER mention or acknowledge. Fisk is dead-on when he said, Flood made the BIGGEST sacrifice in the major leagues. took his case ALL the way to the supreme court/lost. 3 years later, he started free agency in the Majors. the owners of those major league teams blackballed Flood's career/got rid of him. but before all of that started. Curt Flood was an all-star with the Cardinals and was on his way to the HOF.

[@keithhansen4891]

Amazing guy, I wish I could have met him, the epitome of class.

[@ddsnyder1979]

Class.

[@juliusMASS3]

Starting At 31:40 Fisk said about his dad, “if he can’t runaround for an hour or two, he shouldn’t of been out there” I think his dad was emulating a baseball great Casey Stengel.

[@jockoadams3377]

One of the reasons they can't let juicers in the Hall of Fame.. could you imagine Bonds or Clemens thanking BALCO or Brian McNamee for contributing to their success?

[@wiedep]

After hearing Pudge, can't ever see Bar-roid in that spot. Never.

[@docadams7099]

I never knew that Tom Seaver's 300th win was in New York against those rotten YANKEES! YESSSSS! Rest in Peace Tom Seaver, Joe Morgan, Don Zimmer, and Sparky Anderson.

[@PhillyCYOSports]

None of todays players will be giving speeches like this

[@thadstudebaker3370]

Scanning through a few comments on the speech, I realize this will not be a popular statement… this was the longest and most drawn out event I’ve ever experienced. Some friends and I were there for Sparky and Tony but we all had mad respect for Fisk. His speech was so long that even the Bosox fans around us were yelling for him to stop. It was hotter than blazes with little to no shade and was miserable as heck. The crowd in our area erupted with joy when he finally concluded.

[@eddierivera1860]

NEVER AS GOOD AS MUNSON!

[@robertdegeorge8635]

No Thurman Munson?

[@Funnyweirdediter]

Munson didn’t have the numbers. He had one great season but was overhyped playing for the Yankees. Had he played for Cleveland you’d of never heard of him.

[@robertdegeorge8635]

@@Funnyweirdediter I disagree

[@Funnyweirdediter]

robert degeorge He only hit 106 home runs.By the time he died he was pretty washed up. His knees were shot. He was hardly playing.

[@thedude3065]

if he didn't die during his career perhaps

[@moonytheloony6516]

@@Funnyweirdediter I'm not seeing what you are claiming. I just reviewed his stats. First of all he hit 113 home runs not 106. His last full season was 1978 in which he played in 154 games while batting .297 with 183 hits 6 home runs and 71 RBI's en route to his 2nd consecutive world series, and he was an ALL-Star for a 6th consecutive year. 1979 was obviously cut short due to a tragic case of accidental death however his stats were still solid. During 1979 Munson played in 97 games while batting .288 with 3 home runs and 39 RBI's with 110 hits, scored 42 runs, 18 doubles, 3 triples and an OBP of .340, which was better then his OBP in 1978. He certainly was not "hardly playing" with 419 plate appearances up to that point. Munson was 32 at that time, his catching days may or may not have been getting numbered...but it likely didn't matter because... He played in the AL where simply DH-ing him would have likely kept him going for several more productive seasons into the early 1980's. After reading your assessment I sincerely expected to see a huge drop off in his numbers, but alas the man hit 3 triples which was better than what he did in '78 (he hit just one) and he even stole a base as well with shot knees as you alleged. I think you may have exaggerated a wee bit...

[@GijoeHam]

How

[@ralphabreu5022]

Thurman Munson was a better catcher and more of a clutch hitter than Fisk ever was. RIP Thurman fover #15

[@Mike-ji8ez]

Ralph Abreu Munson was a Dick!!!

[@JJA1987]

Fisk was

[@chelseanae8931]

You came here to be a hater!! What a loser.. Chitown Fav

[@TheBatugan77]

I'm a Yankee fan. You're a dick, ralphie.

[@TheBatugan77]

@@Mike-ji8ez You're a dick. A tiny tiny tool.