Just some quick thoughts. I’ll post more in depth about this weekend when I have more time.
The last few days have been like a dream. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony was overwhelming and a great opportunity to catch up with some of the stars that I had played with and against. Guys like Joe Morgan, who I have known for years, my former teammates: Pudge (Fisk), Eck (Eckersley), and Chicken Man (Boggs), and guys who I would frequently talk to about hitting during my playing days such as Reggie Jackson and Mike Schmidt, were all very supportive on this important day.
I also had the opportunity to acknowledge the people who had helped me get to where I am today: My wife and family have given me the stability and grounding I need, the countless supporters from my childhood in South Carolina who encouraged me to succeed in the field of athletics, and the people like Johnny Pesky, Cecil Cooper, and Don Zimmer who pushed me to superstar levels as a professional. I owe so much to these people and to the fans that have supported me and allowed me to make a living with this game that I love.
A lot of people have been asking me about my trip to the hall of fame; the things I liked, the most impressive artifacts, etc.
The trip is more than just a visit to the museum prior to the induction ceremony; it’s more like an orientation to the Hall of Fame museum and induction experience. I was given a timeline and tour of where I will be during the induction weekend. I was also given some coaching on how to handle the events of the day and the elements that make a successful speech. I am competitive, but I will not compete with Pudge Fisk for the title of longest induction speech.
The tour of the museum was fantastic and I was able to see a lot of artifacts that are not available to the public. It’s hard for me to pick out a favorite item because I saw so many rare and historic pieces. I saw bats that were used by Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig, a contract signed by Babe Ruth, and the original uniforms from the Negro Leagues.
A lot of people ask what Carlton Fisk and Carl Yastrzemski were like as teammates or, given the depth of Red Sox talent, who the leader of the clubhouse was in the 1970’s. The simple answer is that all of the guys were leaders. There was so much experience and talent in that clubhouse that there were numerous people you could go to for advice or to look at as an example for how to handle a situation.
There were different styles by which players carried themselves on that team. Yaz was the quiet type who led by example. He was the team captain and had been with the team for the longest. He had the baseball experience and experience in the city of Boston. He was the name and face of that team.
Carlton took charge of the game. He was intense and he knew that, as the catcher, he played a key role on that team. He would walk out behind the plate slowly and everyone would have to wait for him. When he was on the field, you knew he was in control.
Leadership is expressed in many different and unique ways. Everyone in that clubhouse showed these traits at various times and that is what made that Baseball team so successful.
You played with so many guys over the years, are there many of them that you still keep in close touch with? I seem to remember you being close with Cecil Cooper, but surely there must have been others. Have you kept in touch with Freddy Lynn, Dewey Evans, or maybe even Yaz?
I am still close with Cecil. He is god parent to my kids and I’m god father of his kids.
One thing that the Red Sox are really good about is keeping players in touch and associated with the team through the Alumni Association.
We see a lot of players that I still see at events like: Pudge Fisk, Rico, Tommy Harper, Dewey, Freddy Lynn, Jim Lonborg, Mike Andrews, Yaz, Louis Tiant, and a lot of other guys. Once you affiliate with the Jimmy Fund you get to participate in the golf tournaments and see a lot of former players. The Red Sox are great at using the former players as team ambassadors. I see guys that I didn’t play with but knew of like Johnny Pesky, Frank Malzone, and Dom DiMaggio every year down spring training.
As former players, we are lucky to have this ownership group who finds ways to keep the former players in touch with each other and with the fans in Red Sox Nation.
People keep asking me about my thoughts on the Red Sox having Bill Buckner return to throw out the first pitch during the home opener. I thought it was great! Bill Buckner didn’t leave Boston on good terms so this allows him to have a positive memories of the Boston Red Sox and their fans. This was good for Bill, the fans, and for the Red Sox Organization.
There are a few guys who have been tacked to the wall by the fans. Guys like Bob Stanley, Bill Buckner, or Mike Torrez who had successful careers save for one unfortunate event in a key situation.
I was in the clubhouse for the first pitch and I thought it was funny to see the confusion on the faces of some of the younger players. They had no idea what the ovation was for. The game has changed and the younger players know more about iPods, cell phones, and video games than Williams, Yaz, and Fisk.
I often get asked about the Red Sox / Yankee rivalry of the 1970’s. The first thing I can tell you is that it’s not a rivalry anymore. It’s more like a buddy system now. Some of us have the same agents and we end doing events together as a package deal.
Sports rivalries come from guys being in a system for a long time. You play with guys that you have known since the minor leagues and when someone says or does something to one of your teammates, you stick up for him. Free agency has affected that loyalty to a large degree.
My role in the Boston/New York rivalry of the 1970’s was minor. I was loyal to my teammates and I tried to stay out of the overblown media talk. Throughout my career I tried to mold myself as a clubhouse leader like Fisk was in Boston and Chicago, Munson was in New York, and Eddie Murray was in Baltimore.
