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Jack Fisher witnessed and played a part in some of the most memorable moments in baseball history. In this questionnaire filled out and signed by Fisher he recalls a few of those highlights. The first question posed to Fisher is about facing Ted Williams in The Splendid Splinter’s final big league at bat.

Fisher writes, “Ted hit a 1-1 fastball into the Red Sox bullpen in the 8th inning to get to within one run. We lost the game on an error in the 9th inning.”

As if giving up Ted Williams last homer isn’t enough, Fisher also surrendered Roger Maris’ 60th homer of the 1961 season, a bomb that tied Babe Ruth for the single-season homer record. Fisher’s memorable moments don’t stop there. He threw the first pitch in the history of Shea Stadium and is widely credited with starting the tradition of starting pitchers warming up in the bullpen before games. Reading the questionnaire reveals more insight into these events.

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In the collection is this trio of index cards, each signed by Jack Fisher. In the first 3×5 Fisher has added, “I GAVE UP TED WILLIAMS’ LAST HR 1960”, in the second the inscription is, “I GAVE UP ROGER MARIS’ 60TH HOMERUN 1961”, while the third states, “I PITCHED THE FIRST PITCH AT SHEA STADIUM 1964”.

Fisher is also credited with starting the tradition of warming up before the game in the bullpen.

The right hander pitched in 400 big league ball games and retired in 1969 after an 11-year MLB career.

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Ted Williams had a flair for the dramatic and a love/hate relationship with the Boston fans. Never was that more apparent than in his final career at bat.

Hitting against Jack Fisher of the Orioles in the 8th inning on 9/28/1960, Teddy Ballgame slammed a home run over the right field wall. He put his head down and silently rounded the bases. Sensing the moment was historical, the Boston faithful stood and cheered. Williams never acknowledged them

In his autobiography My Turn at Bat, Williams reflected on the moment.

“I thought about tipping my cap, you’re damn right I did, and for a moment I was torn, but by the time I got to second base I knew I couldn’t do it. Like I said, I was just fed up with that part of the act. You can’t imagine though the warm feeling I had, for the very fact that I had done what every ballplayer would want to do in his last time up, having wanted to do it so badly, and knowing how the fans really felt, how happy they were for me. Maybe I should have let them know I knew, but I couldn’t. It just wouldn’t have been me.”

Red Sox manager Mike “Pinky” Higgins instructed Williams to take his position in left field in the top of the 9th. Then with all eyes on the Splendid Splinter, Higgins called on Carroll Hardy to replace Williams and give the fans another chance to shower the adoration upon him.

Hardy tells the story’s punchline with his trademark humility. “They booed me all the way out and cheered him all the way in.”

The Red Sox had three games left in their season, all in New York against the Yankees. With his team out of the pennant race, Williams elected to stay home and let the home run be his final time at bat. He explained the part of his reasoning for the decision”…I knew the club was thinking about youth. … There was a kid named Carl Yastrzemski coming up who was going to be a hell of a ballplayer.”

In the collection is this Major League Baseball Players Association document. Teddy Ballgame has filled it out entirely in his hand, lending his signature to the top.

The document reads in part, “In order to have the Association act on matters important to you and the Association itself we would appreciate your stating any opinions or suggestions you may have. These opinions and suggestions will be treated with the upmost confidence and will be categorized and analyzed.”

Interestingly, Williams suggests playing double headers as two 7-inning contests. More importantly the eagle-eyed Red Sox hitter writes, “Improve Baltimore, Chicago & KC backgrounds, check intensity of lights in the older parks”.