Reviving the Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry: Munson V. Fisk

As Yankees and Red Sox fans anticipate the first regular season clash of their teams next week at Fenway, they may enjoy pausing for a quick look at some history. A game played in Boston on Aug. 1, 1973 was instrumental in creating the fierce rivalry that exists today. 

Carl Yastrzemski said there was not much of a rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox when he arrived in Boston in 1961 because the Yankees were just too good. In 1963, though, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris were hobbled by injuries and combined for just 38 homers, compared to the 115 they had swatted in '61.

Like the great New York teams of the past, the Mantle dynasty had been built around homegrown talent from the farm system and supplemented by shrewd acquisitions such as Maris.

By 1964, however, the Yankees had scrapped their winning formula and unloaded double A and triple A teams in anticipation of the franchise's sale to CBS. They fell to sixth place in the American League in 1965, their worst finish in 40 years.

The Yankees would not win a pennant for another twelve years and frequently finished in the second division.

In 1967, the year of the Impossible Dream, when an inspired Boston club won the most hotly contested pennant race in history, New York finished next to last. When George Steinbrenner and his limited partners bought the team in 1972, they paid just $10 million, or $3.3 million less than CBS had spent.

What was needed to revive the moribund Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, it turned out, was not the excitement of a close pennant race, but just a good fight. That came on Aug. 1, 1973 at Fenway.

The score was tied 2-2 when New York catcher Thurman Munson doubled in the top of the sixth and advanced to third on an out. When manager Ralph Houk called for a suicide squeeze, Munson charged the plate but batter Gene Michaels failed to make contact on the bunt.

Munson, the 1970 Rookie of the Year, barreled into Boston catcher Carleton Fisk, the 1973 Rookie of the Year. Fisk not only tagged him out, but dumped Munson on his head. That elicited a flurry of punches from the Yankees catcher.

Fisk, who had been drilled in the head by Yankees pitcher Mel Stottlemyre in the second inning, swung back wildly with the ball firmly clutched in his right hand.

The benches cleared, but the only blood spilled during the melee was from a shallow cut to Fisk's cheek. After order was restored, the Red Sox won 3-2. 

Munson, who had finished behind his adversary in the All-Star balloting for starting catcher, declared total victory in his fight with Fisk. He told reporters: "Go ask Fisk who won the fight, he knows."

Boston writers were quick to criticize and mock Munson. Peter Gammons, for one, took some relish in contrasting the "chiseled, handsome Fisk" with the "dumpy, stubbled" Munson. He said that Munson hated Fisk because he was jealous of him.

While that is a fairly accurate if unflattering characterization of Munson's physical appearance and mental outlook, psychoanalysis is not required to understand what happened on Aug. 1. All that is needed is a little history from the day before.

In the game on July 31, Yankees base runner Roy White had attempted to score on a play at the plate, only to be intentionally and deviously tripped by the long-legged Fisk as he positioned himself for the tag. In the locker room after the game, Houk told his team to avoid such easy put outs in the future by running directly into the catcher.

It is true that Munson disliked the media attention Fisk received during the 1973 season. He could not have enjoyed seeing his competitor's "chiseled, handsome" face on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

But the best explanation for Munson's action on Aug. 1 is the simple one: he was implementing Houk's new policy that was designed to defend his team against Red Sox dirty tricks.

If he were alive today, the Yankees captain could take some comfort from the fact that his 11-year career stacks up favorably against Fisk's 23 seasons in Boston and Chicago.

Munson was an MVP while Fisk never achieved the distinction. He won more Gold Gloves than Fisk (3-1). And he batted .371 in three World Series, two of which were won by his team. Despite his longevity and Hall of Fame induction, Fisk never got to play with a winner.

The fierceness of today's rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox and their fans is the legacy of the fight between Munson and Fisk.

In the 1940s, the rivalry had been personified by Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, and it was still about baseball. After Aug. 1, 1973, Richard Bradley notes, games between New York and Boston would be about more than standings or even money. They would be blood feuds.

Read more about how brawling shaped the Red Sox Yankees Rivalry.