AP Photo/Harry Cabluck

Carlton Fisk Sends World Series to Game 7

By Sam Coombs

It was 1975 on a brisk October night at Fenway Park. The Boston Red Sox saw themselves down in the World Series three games to two against the Cincinnati Reds with an electric crowd on hand. The Red Sox were still in their World Series drought since 1918, which made the crowd that much louder. The game was full of ups and down and many different climaxes.

The Red Sox started the game ahead 3-0 and then the Reds would score six unanswered runs before a three run homerun by Red Sox pinch hitter Bernie Carbo that tied the game in the 8th inning. In the bottom of the 9th, Boston had a great scoring opportunity with the bases loaded and no one out. Many fans in the stadium thought they had the game in the bag at this point. The Reds battled and didn’t allow a single run to score in the inning, prolonging the game into extra innings.
The game went all the way to the 12th inning when Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk approached the plate. On the second pitch of the at bat Fisk smashed the ball high and deep to left field. This moment almost appeared in slow motion as the ball was traveling through to air. Off the bat it looked foul and as Fisk ran down the first base line he would lure the ball fair with his hands and create one if the most iconic pictures and moments in World Series history. A walk-off home run off Reds pitcher Pat Darcy in the 12th inning to take the World Series to a game 7.

This iconic moment felt like rejuvenation for baseball fans in New England and Red Sox fans across the nation. As Fisk dance around the bases the noise was deafening and fans began to run on the field before Fisk even reached home plate. As he reached home plate there was a mob of his teammates and fans from Fenway Park jumping for joy as the Red Sox were going to play again for a potential World Series Championship. They went on to lose in game seven but regardless this is still one of the most known moments in Red Sox history.

Since this moment the pole has been named the Fisk Pole because of this historic hit. There are now seats on the green monster at Fenway Park and the Fisk Pole is now a very popular attraction for fans.