Chicagoist interviews Carlton Fisk

By Chris Karr in Miscellaneous on Jul 28, 2005 1:56AM

After interviewing Mr. T last week, Chicagoist also sat down with Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk. Fisk played the position of catcher and over a career spanning three decades, he became known as baseball’s ‘most durable catcher’ and an offensive legend, with three hundred and seventy six career home runs.

Sitting down in the White Sox dugout before the game, we talked baseball.

Chicagoist: How does it feel to be behind the plate catching again?

Fisk: The great part about this is that I don’t have to squat. I’m just hoping that Mr. T throws the ball all the way in the air, you know? We’re here launching the Double Tough Sock. Hanes night, when the two Sox are playing. So, Mr. T is a pretty tough guy – I’m just hoping that he can throw the ball all the way in the air. I don’t know if I can – I was going to see if I can kick his butt. I probably can’t now – I could a couple of years ago. (Laughs)

(More below the fold.)

Chicagoist: What have you been doing since you retired?

Fisk: Wow. That’s been a long time. All my kids have gotten married.

Chicagoist: Congratulations.

Fisk: Yeah, for sure. As recent as five years ago, I was inducted into the Hall of Fame – the baseball Hall of Fame. Since then, I’ve been busy with appearances and representing a specific charity and now I’m doing some corporate stuff. It’s keeping me busy. It’s not fulfilling any baseball need, but I haven’t thought about getting back into baseball, either. It’s too time consuming. I did that for thirty years and I don’t care to do that right now.

Chicagoist: You’re renowned for your old school work ethic and respect for the game. Most notably with the Deion Sanders incident. Do you think players have the same work ethic that you guys had back in the day?

Fisk: Basically, it’s the same. You know, for different reasons I think, though. I tell everybody I know, to go to the game, do whatever level your talent is, and take it there to with whatever level it is by dedication and hard work you put into it. Perfecting your craft.

I don’t know whether it’s the same motivations at all. We were motivated because we needed the contract the next year. We needed to pay the bills. And now, it’s a little different because contracts are such that you don’t have to worry year-to-year. But make no mistake about it – the guys that are playing this year are good. The best players that play now are very good. The players can still play. Maybe what’s happening around the game – the licensing, the marketing, the exploding ball parks, all the stuff around the game has changed. But the game, itself, is still played by the best athletes, the best baseball players, in the world.

Chicagoist: There’ve been a lot of comparisons made between this year’s White Sox team and the 1983 team. How do you see the Sox doing in the post season and are they that similar to the 1983 team?

Fisk: I’m not exactly sure how they compare, to tell you the truth. Our pitching staff in ‘eighty-three was better. I thought that we scored a lot more runs than they did. Our defenses are about the same. But they’re very opportunistic this year. When they get a chance to score a run, the score it. They have the same attitude that we had in ‘eighty-three. No matter what time in the game it is, what the score is, we have a chance to win. No matter when it is. No matter how many bullets we have. In that respect they’re very similar.

Once again, Chicagoist would like to thank Hanes for inviting us out to interview their “Double Tough” spokesmen.