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Who’s the best?
Sammy White?
Carlton Fisk?
Jason Varitek?
These are the three Red Sox catchers who have been a part of my life since my wonderful grandfather, Pappy, introduced me to the pain and joy of being a Sox fan.
There were others. When I was just learning about baseball, Bernie Tebbits was just finishing his career.
After Sammy White, there was Bob Tillman and a few others I don’t remember.
After Carlton Fisk (what a heartbreak when he left), there was Rich Gedman and Tony Pena.
But none of these were in the category of White, Fisk, and Varitek.
I loved Sammy White. Maybe because I was young, and he was my first. He caught from 1951-59, was a solid defensive catcher with a good arm, and once scored three runs in one inning (’53 vs. Detroit). He could throw out runners and was a decent hitter. A solid, stable part of the Sox in the 50s.
Everyone who followed baseball in the ’70s (and ’80s too, tho he was no longer with the Sox) knows Carlton Fisk. He was Rookie of the Year and won a Golden Glove in ’72, and he just kept getting better from there on.
As the picture above captures (it sits in my little baseball shrine in my house), he kept the Sox alive in the ’75 World Series with the 12th inning home run he willed over the fence.
Fisk could do it all, catch, throw out runners (not as good as White, tho), hit, play whether hurt or not, (all time record for games played by a catcher, 2,226), and he was always a leader.
In 2000 he went into the Hall of Fame, probably as one of the best catchers of all time (after Berra, Bench, Campenella, Piazza, Rodriquez ?), tho not as a Red Sox unfortunately.
And then came my favorite, Jason Varitek.
You’ve no doubt seen clips from his retirement press conference, endless replays of his ‘fight’ with A-Rod, and various tributes to his career.
Varitek was a pitcher’s catcher. He prepared harder for every game than anyone, according to his teammates. He knew what pitch should be thrown when (ask Schilling who lost a no-hitter with two outs in the 9th because he shook off Varitek).
‘Tek was a good defensive catcher, tho the weaker than White or Fisk in throwing out runners. But his knowledge of opposing batters, the comfort he gave to his pitchers, and his gritty play more than made up for his weak arm to second.
The Sox made him Captain a number of years ago, and while he proudly wore the “C” on his shirt, the game was never about him. He kept his head down, ran to put on his gear after hitting a home run, and quietly became the most respected player on the team by the other Sox players, management, and fans.
I chose not to post the picture of him with his glove in A-Rod’s face because while that may have spurred the Sox on that year, there were other accomplishments much more worthy of honoring.
The Sox won two World Series under his leadership (the pix above is after the final out of 2004 — I was there for that one as well as for the one in 2007), and he caught four no-hitters, the most of any catcher ever.
He played his entire career with Boston, and when he began to lose his skills, he worked with his replacements, teaching them what he had learned and continuing to give of himself.
For me he was what is best about baseball.
But I know others would say Fisk was better.
What do you think?
kevin said:
Its a no brainer – Fisk was better, though not better than Munson. Good decision not to post the Varitek-ARod wrestling match – shoving a glove at someone while wearing your catcher’s mask is not something I would exactly call tough.
Richard said:
Munson? Munson? Isn’t he the guy who wanted to play for Cleveland?
Chris Boutourline said:
I never got to see Sammy White play (I did go to the Sammy White bowling alley) but in looking at his batting stats it looks like he hit for a decent power and was tough to strike out. I saw both Fisk and Varitek enter the ‘bigs’ and, although I loved Tek’s spirit & skills, I’d pick Pudge for his power and presense (I also think he had a better arm than Varitek). In looking at how many great years Fisk had with Chicago one can only wonder what his legacy in Boston would have been if GM, Haywood Sullivan, with whom Fisk was feuding over money, hadn’t “mistakenly” put his new contract into the mail a day late. Fisk took this slap in the face and laughed all the way to the bank as a free agent (I think, as a Vermonter, he had some regional regret). Only one of these three catchers is going to be in the Hall of Fame and, he’s already there.