Dirt Dog Hall of Fame

Red Sox players of the past who would have earned the badge of 'Dirt Dog' in their day.

2.18.02  Get some old timers in there.

I guess I am too old for the current fans but if ever there was a Dirt Dog, it was Jimmy Piersall. He played every game the way Trot does. Decent hitter, great outfielder and a good base runner. Talk about getting your uniform dirty, this guy was the model for the "Peanuts" character "Pigpen". Crashing into walls and always holding on to the ball. I think it was the old "Look Magazine" did a story on nine of his most spectacular catches with pictures. I saw one I will never forget in the summer of "55". Tommy Brewer had a shutout going in the top of the ninth, and I think it was Vic Power or Hector Lopez lined a shot [there were a couple of runners on] to the right of the scoreboard, Jenson was out of the game, Piersall, racing at full speed appeared to climb the wall, hitting it with his right foot and then going up another three feet or so, backhanded the catch at the same time he hit the wall. He came down, rolled over and threw the ball into the infield. I don't remember if he doubled off one of the runners or the game was over but to this day I can't figure how he did it. He is wearing spikes. The wall is tin or something like it. Why wouldn't his spikes just slide off? The only thing that could have happened was that the right spike pierced the wall about three and half feet up and then he leveraged himself at full speed up to catch the ball about ten feet above the ground. He had some drive. Dirt Dog all the way. Hey, if Carbo is there, Piersall should be too.

James Cross

 First Inductee:  'Spaceman' Bill Lee —

 Still Out There ,

 A recent chat with Bill Lee

Second Inductee:  Bernie Carbo

Third Inductee:  Carlton "Pudge" Fisk

I would like to nominate Carlton "Pudge" Fisk for the Dirt Dog HOF.  (If that's allowed of course.)

Fisk was the original Dirt Dog IMHO.  Fisk's credentials include:

Caught more games than any other catcher. Came back after numerous injuries, including a ruptured testicle (Yikes!). Was involved in numerous on-field brawls, including the famous Thurman Munson and Co. where he was actually winning against 2 MLB players until the dugout piled in on him.  Let's not forget the Sanderson incident as well. Kept a handle on the pitching staff.  Remember how he would fire the ball back if he wasn't pleased with the pitch? Hit the most famous home run in WS history. Always played the game hard.

I know he didn't finish his career as a Red Sox, but that was a front office screw up, not his choice.  (Did we EVER have a functional front office?)

I personally wish Fisk would be more involved in the day-to-day running of the Sox.  Can you imagine Fisk dealing with this year's whining bunch or Carl Everett?

Just my two cents.

Carol