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After playing 16 games for the Red Sox in 1969 and 1971, Carlton Fisk earned the starting spot at catcher for 1972. He responded with a Rookie of the Year campaign. An All Star and Gold Glover in ’72, Fisk slugged 22 homers with a league-leading 9 triples. His .293/.370/.538 slash line helped the writers unanimously select Fisk as the AL’s top rookie.

In all, Fisk played 11 seasons in Boston, making the All Star squad in 7 of his 9 full seasons with the Sox. His most memorable moment came in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. With the game tied at six-apiece, Fisk led off the bottom of the 12th inning at Fenway Park. After taking ball one, Fisk sent Pat Darcy’s next offering high into the air.

As it angled toward the foul pole, Fisk worked to will the ball fair, waving both hands toward the field of play. Announcer Dick Stockton made the call. “There it goes, a long drive…if it stays fair…home run! We will have a 7th Game in this 1975 World Series!”

After the end of the 1980 season, Fisk changed Sox and signed with Chicago’s American League team.

Imagine receiving a check for more than $8,000 to play baseball. That’s what Carlton Fisk got from the Red Sox on August 31, 1976 in this Boston payroll check. Fisk earned this money in his fourth All Star season in the country’s bicentennial year. Coming off of their World Series appearance from a year ago, the Sox finished a disappointing third in the American League East, though not fault of their All Star catcher.

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On March 18, 1981 Carlton Fisk signed a five-year deal with the White Sox. The decision to leave Boston was a tough one for the catcher.

He explained the situation to the New York Times, ”To make an understatement, I had to make a monumental decision to leave Boston. It’s been very trying and rough on the entire family. A few months ago, I never could have visualized this scene taking place here today…Now I’m happy that the negotiations are over, and Chicago is, well, my town.”

The change of Sox was not the only difference for Fisk. After wearing #27 his entire career, Fisk flipped to #72. His previous number was already on the back of pitcher Ken Kravec. Fisk said the reversal came because his son Carson was born in ’72, the same year the catcher earned the Rookie of the Year Award.

Though remembered more for his time in Boston, Fisk played more years and more games in Chicago. An All Star in each of his first two seasons with the Pale Hose, Fisk led them to the Western Division title in 1983. His 26-homer, 86-RBI campaign led to a third-place finish in MVP voting.

After an injury-riddled 1984, Fisk changed his workout regimen. The result was a career year in ’85. The 37-year old set career-highs in homers and RBI and tied his best with 17 stolen bases. An All Star for the 10th time, Fisk earned the second of his three Silver Slugger Awards.

In 1990 Fisk broke Johnny Bench’s career home run record for catchers. His 328th bomb as a backstop came off of Charlie Hough. Before retiring, he extended the mark to 351 homers. Though Mike Piazza later broke Fisk’s mark, the Boston and Chicago AL man still holds the Junior Circuit record.

In 1991 Fisk earned the last of his 11 All Star nods. At 43 years old he became the oldest in MLB history to tally a hit in the Mid Summer Classic. Two years later on June 22, 1993 Fisk broke Bob Boone’s record for career games caught. Fisk held the mark until 2009 when Ivan Rodriguez passed it. Six days later Chicago released the 45-year old to end his big league career.

Shown here is the back of the check in the previous image. His autograph comes in the form of an endorsement for deposit.

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Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk enjoyed a 24-year career spanning 2,499 games. The backstop was ejected 9 times as a major leaguer, the last of which came courtesy of home plate umpire Larry Young on May 8, 1993.

That night Fisk was catching when Cleveland’s Lance Parrish stepped into the batters box with men on first and third and two out in the second inning. White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell fired in a 2-2 offering that Fisk believed was strike three. Umpire young called it a ball and Fisk vehemently disagreed. Young tossed the 45-year old Fisk, ending the catcher’s night.

That contest was Fisk’s 2,212th game as a big league catcher, putting him just 13 games behind Bob Boone’s all time mark for games played at the position.

In the collection is the lineup car that hung in the Indians dugout that night in Chicago. Notice Fisk batting 8th for the White Sox with his name crossed out and that of his replacement Ron Karkovice listed below him.

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Carlton Fisk retired as Major League Baseball’s career leader in home runs by a catcher with 351 long balls. While not fielding the position, Fisk hit an additional 25 bombs to extend his career total.

Since he left the game many of his career numbers have been surpassed. Playing in a high-offense era, Mike Piazza broke Fisk’s mark for homers by a backtop. In 708 less games at the position, Piazza hit 399 dingers. The Steroid Era saw many man surpass Fisk’s career total of 376 home runs.

In the collection is this lineup card from 8/18/2000 when Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa knocked a pair of homers to bring his total to 376, enough to tie the Hall of Fame catcher. Both of Sosa’s shots came off of Arizona’s Curt Schilling who pitched a complete game to help the D-Backs to an 11-2 win. Sosa ended his career in 2007 with 609 home runs.

Sosa’s first homer broke a tie with Rocky Colavito on the all-time list. The lineup card is signed by Cubs manager, former MVP Don Baylor.