The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry hit a peak with Munson vs. Fisk | Beef History

Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk both played catcher at a time when the job required a lot of physical contact. They both excelled with a bat as well as behind the plate. They both led their teams to greatness (or at least really damn close, in the case of the 1975 Red Sox).
And, for our purposes, they were both stupendously competitive. Their rivalry was driven by a relentless desire to be the best, and it's what the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is at its very best.
Subscribe: goo.gl/Nbabae
Check out our full video catalog: goo.gl/9pMHRV
Visit our playlists: goo.gl/NvpZFF
Like SB Nation on Facebook: goo.gl/Pzcs7O
Follow on Twitter: goo.gl/5LI02D
Follow on Instagram: goo.gl/aY2FFK
Explore SB Nation: www.sbnation.com

[@kylewenzel537]

“Rich guys slapping at slightly less but still pretty rich guys” dead

[@Jakeystar]

Kyle Wenzel alex rodriguez slapping at bronson arroyo

[@spg1026]

If you don’t like sports or Men’s sports don’t watch stuff like this and certainly keep your commie thoughts to yourself.

[@DOMSHOMIT]

MANCHESTER UNITED bruh shut up. Soccer is for suckers

[@noah_that_bills_fan1613]

@@spg1026 lol the only person who will like ur stupid comment is urself

[@yourthighness273]

@M Stop commenting this on every videos dude it's not gonna get you supporters

[@MuiscAndMisc]

Eight minutes ago I had no idea Munson ever existed, but when the news clip came up, that hit hard. Wow. Great video, I love hearing about baseball mythology and legends.

[@thedeucemonkey2331]

So 81 minutes ago you learned what Baseball was also?

[@nevermorefrompast-qx5wb]

allwys a redsox fan but munson was the def on bad ass

[@roguishpaladin]

@@thedeucemonkey2331 Easy. Munson has been dead for 40 years now. In order to remember seeing him, you'd have to be about 50. He was a very very good player, but around 40-50 years you start to forget about all but the iconic players, the Ruths and the Aarons. It's no dishonor to Munson - it's just not feasible to remember all the great players, and if we end up keeping one catcher of that era in our collective memory as an icon...well, no offense to Munson's memory, but it'll probably be Bench. Even Fisk's memory has faded a little bit.

[@dougbrowne9890]

@@roguishpaladin You are wrong dude. I am 56 years old, and I remember many catchers of the 1970's. One of my favs, Ted Simmons, finally made the HOF. Thurman Munson though, he was my baseball hero. If sportswriters were as knowledgeable about the game, as they were when Rick Farrell was inducted into the HOF, Munson would be in. But they are not, so he isn't. That, to me, is a crime.

[@kencummings953]

Munson wasn't a huge stat man, he was a winning baseball man. He was deadly in the clutch, made countless big plays, and was a very intelligent player. He was a great hit and run man, a lost art, and could use the right side to advance runners as well. He knew which pitcher's to coddle and which ones to ride mercilessly like rented rules.

[@aa697]

Munson was the grittiest and toughest ballplayer I have ever seen. And also a great clutch hitter.

[@susanmenegus5543]

I wish I was alive to see Munson play . 🗽🗽🗽

[@Jackiezyon]

Rip💐 Thurman Munson⚾️

[@wesleyantrim6648]

Jackiezyon he died the day I was born. 08/02/1979

[@sharted5647]

Wesley Antrim that’s why you have no KZbin picture and your channel name is your name

[@costellotocustelow03]

ItZ JellyBeam YT Shut up normie.

[@ryanreynolds6704]

@@costellotocustelow03 shut up

[@stevedowding8355]

Thurman was my uncle. The whole family fell apart when he passed. His last words were. " are you guys alright " he was more worried about the two piglets that were with them then himself. He saved their lives and lost his own. He was a amazing father and husband. I know the real story about the crash not was the paoers said

[@MsSmitty9]

I’m a Red Sox Fan through and through. I also collected baseball cards back in the Day. I have to say though that one part of my collection that I am most proud of is all my Thurman Munson Cards. I just loved that Guy. One of the Few Yankees I respected. Maris , Mantle , DiMaggio , Gehrig , Ruth to name a few. My Father told me stories about these Guys. For some reason, Munson Cards just caught my eye. R.I.P. Thurman Munson.

[@danielpena3282]

As lifelong Fisk fan and son of a Munson fan...this hit home. Great job...good insight. I am saving it in my library for always. Thank you.

[@docadams7099]

I like Fisk, too, and the Red Sox of that era as well. And I'm a diehard fan of the Big Red Machine. I love the 1975 World Series, won by the Reds.

[@chriscarlson516]

Thurman Munson was the first person I remember dying. One day he's batting third for the NY Yankees and the next day he's gone.

[@gregwatson8219]

Here today gone tomorrow

[@gregwatson8219]

Johnny Bench out played both in World Series folks

[@chriscarlson516]

@@gregwatson8219 I'm not saying Munson was better than Bench. I am saying that Munson was better than Fisk.

[@Sam-lr9oi]

I know correlation isn't indicative of causation, but baseball certainly seems like it was more exciting when everyone was on stimulant drugs and there was lead in gasoline.

[@stillernation7163]

Sam anything's exciting when you're on LSD 😂

[@vestibulate]

Stiller Nation Dock Ellis. But Sam was talking about greenies.

[@ETYPEJaguar38]

Or cocaine, 80s style.

[@vestibulate]

Lazy Revolutionary Yeah, coke worked its way through the majors like the proverbial utility infielder thrown in on a multi-player swap.

[@workingclassrunner]

The economy was also total crap, crime was pretty bad, and people by and large were on their last nerve.

[@stevencooke6451]

This is a great story about a too-short rivalry between wonderful catchers and team leaders. A great telling. As someone said below: you're not John Bois but you are certainly welcome to stay.

[@garak55]

You're not jon bois, are you? I like you though. You can stay.

[@manmythmarcus]

but Jon bois didn’t even narrate the series

[@FinnJames04]

garak55 you are so kind letting him keep his job. He would have been fired if you didn’t like him

[@garak55]

I know, people always tell me that one of my most admirable attribute is generosity, right behind humility of course.

[@fergusmacleod9036]

Two years late but Im down for every beef history vid that isn't hosted by that chick, her voice annoys me it's nasaly af

[@MrRp25]

My favorite era for baseball. Still a Yankee fan and Thurman is still my all time favourite player

[@SQUIRTGANG]

The 70's really were a great era for slugging catchers, Johnny Bench was a fking beast

[@dougbrowne9890]

Yes, he was, but a lot of that has to do with the Big Red Machine. Was way too hard to pitch around that line up, except at the bottom. Bench saw a lot of fastballs, with guys like Morgan, Rose and Bobby Tolan on base all the time, and with Tony Perez batting behind him. Bench benefitted greatly from it. A less talented player would have done well, too.

[@metadeth578]

@@dougbrowne9890 bench was good defensively as well as a good hitter

[@sheawhitey5009]

@@metadeth578 yes the Big Red machine had tons of offensive and defensive talent but Johnny could have played it any era he was that good.

[@metadeth578]

@@sheawhitey5009 no doubt about it.

[@cameronm2877]

NHL Colorado vs Detroit rivalry, plenty of fights, drama, illegal hits, suspensions. It’s a classic like so they see

[@cameronm2877]

Literally a half an hour worth of stuff but the NHL don’t get the same respect

[@masterwayne420]

Michael Vick Yea it sucks how little attention the NHL is given

[@manmythmarcus]

kind of funny that his name is Michael Vick and there’s a dog as his profile pic

[@dommyb11]

The Avery-Brodeur video was great. They do such an amazing job at composing these videos, I just wish the content involved the sports I enjoy... Like hockey and hockey.

[@ChannelyChannel]

Oh god, Bertuzzi and Moore.

[@nifty5799]

Y’all need to do more team rivalries

[@roberthuot7887]

When baseball was fun. Always loved baseball of the 70's.

[@BillMcGirr]

Recently I was looking through my baseball cards from my childhood... in the 70’s. The Red Sox was my team... the Yankees were and are my sworn enemy. I came across Thurman Munsons card... I had to pause for a moment. His was a promising life cut short. A cruel twist of fate.

[@strippschoe]

Munson was my idol growing up - thanks for this honest and thoughtful look at a great baseball rivalry!!

[@BillMcGirr]

Sam Schoemann I recently saw my Munson card in my childhood collection. I was a Sox fan growing up. I had to pause for a second. His death was a sad, cruel and awful twist of fate.😞

[@Pitchblackplays]

I live near his family and they are the nicest people you could meet. Munson was my mom's favorite player.

[@JeepTJWheelin]

This was a tremendous rivalry. I'm a Sox fan and of course feel Fisk was the better of the two. I still vividly remember watching the game the day after Munson died in a plane crash. I welled up like millions of other Americans watching that broadcast. That was a sad day in my childhood and this is coming from a die hard Red Sox fan. RIP Thurman. 🕆

[@metadeth578]

fisk and Munson were both close offensively but not defensively Munson was little bit better.

[@charlesciminera5881]

Munson belongs in Hall of Fame period

[@anthonya2349]

@@metadeth578 Baloney, game on the line Munson was the best by far and that's not by watching videos or news clips, that's from watching games and every important at bat Munson responded. He was clutch.

[@metadeth578]

@@anthonya2349 i never said i would take fisk over Munson. I would still pick munson over fisk. i just got into the Yankees in the beginning of the 79 Season. i was 9 yrs old when he died. Thurman and Nettles where my fav. players

[@metadeth578]

@@charlesciminera5881 i do belive he belongs in the HOF

[@depaola63]

They were both fantastic ⚾️💎💎 I’m almost 58 and remember these legendary players!

[@PlaySA]

Best Beef History so far. Great story that I'd never heard before

[@dubya575]

No fight right? HELL YEAH IT IS, THIS IS BASEBALL IN THE 70S!!!!!! Hilarious 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@AngelRodriguezFritoLay]

Thanks for making this. Munson was a hero. Touching HOF clip for the great Fisk

[@FilmForger]

HEY LAYOFF Gene Michael!! He was the one who built that LEGENDARY 1996-2000 Yankee team who won FOUR World Series when Steinbrenner was banned from baseball!!

[@samuelmoulds1016]

you mean, George FRANKENSTEINBRENER!!!

[@XboxRussian1337]

can we get kevin durant vs. lil b beef

[@StarNBars94]

or Kevin Durant vs. instagram

[@TCHAINZzz]

That’s not sports history that idioticrazy

[@TrulySupah]

Ty Chaney not just sports history but american history

[@iranlassninja7062]

Kevin Durant vs anyone that's not a warriors bandwagon

[@jamesdjl4359]

@@iranlassninja7062 that will all be over soon. Kevin will up and leave another team when he gets what he wants out of them. Just like he left OKC.

[@dzanier]

This was a very well composed piece. Most of the things I knew, some I didn't. But your presentation of it was excellent.

[@durasaxon6504]

Great little video. I am Yankees fan so of course I enjoyed the career of Thurman Munson and was of course upset by his tragic loss. Carlton Fisk was a fine catcher in his own right. 'Richard'

[@johnkoziol5756]

Being a die-hard Red Sox fan who grew up during that time as I mentioned above, I TOTALLY agree with you!!! I gave you a GREAT, BIG, HUMONGOUS "thumb's up" for stating that in your comment.

[@EricAKATheBelgianGuy]

Well said by both of you. Obviously, I wish Fisk could have won a title in Boston, but sometimes, you make due. I think Fisk is a deserving Hall of Famer. Admittedly, I wouldn't quite put Munson in, largely because of the longevity, but I could also make an exception. Munson certainly should have gotten closer than the 5-10% he usually got on the ballots.

[@tonyjohn8111]

Well done! I was a Yankees/Munson fan. My brother was a Red Sox/Fisk fan. I was 8, my brother was 13. That game at Fenway was the first MLB game we saw in person. It was a magical time back then.

[@kevinkirk4285]

August 1st, 1973. My 10th birthday. Just now learning about this rivalry. Thanks. Subscribing now.

[@daviddeconinck499]

thurman and carlton 2 unique names 2 unique great catchers i enjoyed that era so much RIP Captain15

[@jlewis7221]

This beef series is so well written and researched! Seriously. Also, this Fisk-Munson one is unexpectedly poignant (not knowing in advanced how their story ended) Well done.

[@rjhaney2614]

This video was surprisingly emotional. I love it.

[@endcensorship874]

Baseball in the 70's was the peak of the sport.

[@df5295]

Munson was the captain of the Yankees of the '70's. It was the heart and soul of those teams!

[@edwardwilliams8238]

Great story and a wonderful presentation. Thank you so very much for posting.❤️⚾

[@sambowerman6981]

Great video guys. I loved it. These are some of the examples of the incredible history that matters in sports. The more you can bring this to life the better. Thanks for making this. Well done.

[@eblizzard2842]

Great video! I love old school baseball features, especially for some of those names that everyone knows but they get forgotten over time. I would love to see something on Jim Abbot, no one talks about him anymore. Crazy!

[@CrazyPenguin712]

Red Sox vs Yankees is the greatest rivalry in sports

[@MateoKalifas420]

Derrick it’s been a dead rivalry for the last ten years. Next!

[@lukewaggoner6520]

Derrick maybe baseball but sports is cowboys steelers

[@liamwright9529]

😂😂 even unc duke is better than this

[@CrazyPenguin712]

Luke Waggoner cowboys and Steelers? Not much of a rivalry in the last 20 years but sure okay

[@___________________.]

College rivalries are better than pro rivalries 9/10

[@Atlantis1789]

great job, beautiful, loved it. I was on a jet to Mexico when I heard the news that Thurm was killed. very sad. He was heart and soul of the Yankees.

[@tpeljr1]

I watch all of sb nation and I cant deside if chart party or rewind is my favorite. Thank you guys keep making amazing sport videos!

[@laurah3039]

This made me happy and sad.. I cried a few happy/sad tears

[@brettshepherd5240]

Me too and i was a dodgers fan back then.

[@jysportscardguy8935]

Bench, Munson, Fisk, gotta love 70's baseball

[@dougbrowne9890]

Don't overlook Ted Simmons. The HOF finally came to their senses, and put him in. Now if they would just add Munson......I won't hold my breath.

[@rolanddeschain965]

This was my childhood man, I was a sox fan and they always lost but it was such a spectacle I never remember caring that they didn't win. It was so fn entertaining and that's all it is anyway. So awesome.

[@Matchem.]

I love this series. Keep it up!

[@tonywyllie9589]

Great story. I grew up a huge Yankee fan and the day Thurman died is one of the saddest days of my life

[@lukesilvay6039]

Rip Thurman Munson. He was my dad’s favorite player growing up and told me he was so sad when he perished

[@MikeBroderick33]

Excellent video and an excellent voice over. I liked the cutaways to your studio. Pudge Fisk was my favorite Red Sox player when I was growing up (only eclipsed later by Big Papi.) Thurman Munson's death was tragic and horrific. RIP.

[@bobbyskulls9807]

Good stuff.I grew up watching these rivalries.Spaceman's Bill Lee was another great Yankee Red Sox brawl ....

[@dougbrowne9890]

Nettles hurt Lee really bad, after Lee went back in mouthing off. He was never the same.

[@frankkottwitz6279]

Great stuff about 2 great ball players who I had the privilege of seeing play

[@bwredder]

This series is amazing

[@brandonfranks195]

This was pretty good!

[@romellherisson2561]

pretty.....good

[@sunburner_ray]

Brandon Franks it wasn’t pretty good it was beef history

[@bobshoe8426]

This was good but don't disrespect the greatest of Pretty Good

[@aaronfine6430]

Orioles winning the AL east? It even feels wrong just typing it

[@aqgpandemic5406]

2014 must've been a very strange year for you.

[@wintermute5230]

I’m an orioles fan. Please have mercy

[@johnkoziol5756]

Right on, baby! I gave you a GREAT, BIG, HUMONGOUS "thumb's up" for stating that!!!

[@stevencooke6451]

They were a dynasty, a bit win shy in the World Series department, but blessed with tremendous pitching and two superstars named Robinson.

[@jacappy111]

@@stevencooke6451 And let's not forget that '71 pitching staff: Palmer, McNally, Cuellar & Dobson with 4 - 20 Game Winner's !!!!

[@scoundrel99]

Thurman was my favorite player. I even got to shake his hand. But he wasn’t a friendly guy at that point in his life. And as time rolls on...it’s pretty obvious that Munson really pushed the rivalry more because he was jealous. He had no reason to be, he just made up his mind. Had he lived, I think he would’ve mellowed out and become more mature. The other thing I’ve just now realized is what a class act Carlton Fisk was and is.

[@stevencooke6451]

I feel that is another aspect to the tragedy. Having them appear together and laughing about how much they miss the battles and the hatred.

[@JosephO75]

This is a great channel. Thank you

[@johnradovich8809]

Dodger fan here. Loved both those guys!

[@docadams7099]

The Reds and Dodgers were both in the NL West then, and had a bitter rivalry. After one of their brawls, the radio announcer said that there was "no love lost" between these teams. Iremember thinking, "That's very nice. I sure would hate for them to not have friendships anymore between these teams."

[@TimTeboner]

This is a great series!

[@richardk6196]

First time watcher-Really nice job on the video.

[@savagedick3848]

As much as ESPN tries to hype, it won’t come close to the intensity of the 70’s

[@brettshepherd5240]

THANK YOU

[@johnzaferes2257]

That was a great rivalry. As a kid growing up in the 70's in NYC, the Yankees were my team and Munson was our Captain. But l also respected and cheered for Carlton Fisk whenever the Sox were not playing the Yanks. Both guys were awesome! Thanks for the video.

[@iamrichrocker]

good job rook...you had your own personna as a presenter and i dig that..look forward to more of your work..

[@DavidHBurkart]

Interesting take on a classic rivalry. Nice research

[@jeffwilson3363]

Munson and Fisk are two guys I wanted to be like growing up...the 70s was such and incredible decade

[@cupcakechagrin]

Great video. More pls

[@brandonjc13]

That was pretty great... two great catchers fueling each other to get better. Sheer competition.

[@jedimadrox]

man, this video was awesome. Gonna check your channel. this week.

[@liljimlambert7]

One of the greatest tragedies and rivalries contained in sports

[@A.B.421]

“Hell yeah it is, this is baseball in the 70s!!!” 😂

[@seamusosullivan6128]

Every sports fan should be subscribed to you guys.

[@killermon117]

Just hearing that hall of fame speech at the end. Damn, if only both Munson and frisk were there to see it.

[@drby0788]

This is great stuff man! Very well done

[@chriso5662]

Not a baseball fan, but this was one of the best episodes of this series.

[@shaneshuma9157]

Keep the vids coming!

[@brettwright883]

Very well done!

[@miketrissel5494]

Thanks for the memories. I grew up in the same neighborhood as Munson, but never knew him. The crash that day was just a couple miles away. You never did say if he was safe or out at the plate though 😊

[@SmoothCriminal12]

George Karl vs everyone?

[@noahfuchs1794]

Oilers vs jets in the 80s! or any other hockey ones. I love this series:)

[@dennisrasmussen5351]

Very good commentary

[@vstax2165]

video was sick... well done

[@MarkfromKy]

Nice history lesson Gary Cater is my all-time favorite player

[@yankeeluver100]

SB Nation good video!

[@Sam_on_YouTube]

Good timing on a day when these two teams are tied for #1 in baseball and playing again tonight and tomorrow. Last night's losing pitcher came off a 6 game suspension for the last benches clearing brawl between the Sox and Yanks a few weeks back.

[@Fazillah]

This was a great one

[@JP-wb5qv]

This is awesome

[@abrahamayala4943]

Great video.

[@ToddieBender]

This rivalry will never die as long they meet in the playoffs it’ll always be war!

[@benjaminmorgan425]

That was pretty good

[@morriselliott7004]

Baseball in the seventies was bat sh$t crazy. Very entertaining and very intense between historical rivals.

[@johnevans5434]

Great work could you do a segment on the historical ineptitude of the Seattle Mariners?

[@EricAKATheBelgianGuy]

Maybe this is just me, but while Munson was underappreciated, he wasn't exactly a paradigm of virtue. In response to being called "moody," one of his own teammates said, "Munson's not moody, he's just mean. When you're mean, you're nice *sometimes."*

[@dougbrowne9890]

Who is the quote from? That will tell you how true it is.

[@dane7692]

Spring training 1975 Munson came out of the locker room specifically to sign autographs for the few people that were there; he was very accommodating and spoke to us all. This after being blown off by Blomberg (said he didn't have time but stayed in sight jaw jacking w/ somebody). Each person is remembered accordingly and helped guide my interaction henceforward. And yes, I still have the autographed baseball.

[@EricAKATheBelgianGuy]

@@dougbrowne9890 I want to say Graig Nettles.

[@ETYPEJaguar38]

This story needs to be a movie.

[@luishumbertovega3900]

Yesterday I remembered Thurman Munson on the 44th anniversary of his tragic demise at age 32. I was 20 then and it ocurred almost 7 years after our 🇵🇷Roberto Clemente's death. Some other active players died tragically during the 70s, Bob Moose, Danny Thompson, Danny Frisella, Mike Miley, Lyman Bostock and then Munson in 1979. It was my first decade following MLB, a great period but also a sad one.

[@baseballwolf5]

Keep the baseball video coming!:)

[@luciferscrotum]

If nothing else, baseball in the 20th century should be the most well-kept memory of American culture

[@TRaiiN420]

I'm a redsox fan n didnt know about this story. It's a good one Indeed

[@sominboy2757]

Hell yeah it is its baseball in the 70's

[@AbleAnderson]

The early 2000’s Yankees Sox was the most heated time I ever remember. The Pedro years, the arod years. Those were good times

[@veritasinvicta8128]

Well done video, as a Yankee fan I have more respect for Fisk now, I was born in 1971 so I didn't catch but the end of his career.

[@chriskay451]

You have to do piazza vs Clemons

[@onthewrist5006]

Great video. You absolutely hit it. But to this The Greatest catcher (#15) is still not an "official" HOF MEMBER butttt his mitt and bat and cap are in there.

[@Septicor]

Oh I hope you guys do an Al Davis vs Pete Rozelle episode