Red Sox's selection of Fisk launched memorable 1967
He would hit one of the most significant home runs in Red Sox franchise history and put together a 24-year Hall of Fame career.
But when the Red Sox drafted Carlton Fisk, he had hardly even decided what sport he was going to play.
The 19-year-old catcher from Charlestown, N.H., was selected fourth overall by Boston in the regular phase of the 1967 MLB January Draft on Jan. 28, 1967.
Fisk was born in Bellows Falls, Vt., a town situated right on the border with New Hampshire. He attended Charlestown High School, where he excelled in both baseball and basketball. He was a standout in American Legion ball in the summers, being named Vermont’s American Legion Player of the Year in 1965.
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Fisk ultimately earned a scholarship to play basketball at the University of New Hampshire and enrolled in the fall of 1965. He starred on the Wildcats’ freshman basketball team in the winter of 1965-66, leading his squad to an undefeated season, then played for the baseball team the following spring, batting .326 with seven stolen bases.
New Hampshire’s head baseball coach, Ted Conner, recognized Fisk’s talent.
“His potential lies in his good strong arm,” Conner told the Boston Globe.
Conner said they had even used Fisk as a pitcher for the freshman team on occasion.
On the baseball field, Fisk caught the eye of Red Sox scout Jack Burns, who recommended Boston make him their top selection in 1967. Fisk was reportedly considered the No. 1 priority of two other teams, but the Red Sox scooped the native New Englander up early, and Fisk officially put basketball behind him to go all in on professional baseball.
Fisk said after he was drafted that he was “surprised” the Red Sox had taken him with their first selection, though they had been talking to him in the days leading up to the draft.
The three players picked before Fisk were Alex Distaso at No. 1 by the Cubs, Michael Flanagan at No. 2 by the Yankees and Ken Singleton at No. 3 by the Mets. Of the three, only one – Singleton – would have a prolonged big league career.
Boston would not regret its pick, though its effects would not be felt until well after Boston’s “Impossible Dream” team won the American League pennant eight months after Fisk was drafted. After debuting with the Red Sox in 1969, Fisk made an immediate impact upon cementing his spot in the big leagues. In 1972, his first full season, he captured the AL Rookie of the Year Award after batting .293 with 22 homers and leading the league with nine triples.
Fisk retired in 1993 after 24 seasons, having accumulated 2,356 hits, 1,330 RBI, 11 All-Star selections and a .269 career batting average. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
Janey Murray is the digital content specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
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