You’ve probably heard the story before — perhaps via Harvey Kubernick? —- but chances are, you’ve not heard it being told to newly tapped radio host Joe Morgan (presumably working his way to up blogging); how often do you get to hear two baseball Hall Of Famers dissing a football Hall of Famer? USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recaps Carlton Fisk’s appearance on Joe Morgan’s “Baseball Legends Week” ;
Fisk told Morgan he simply no longer could take the style and showboating from Deion Sanders (above, who played parts of nine major league seasons. He confronted Sanders, who was playing for the New York Yankees at the time, when he didn’t run to first base on an infield pop-up in 1990.
“I didn’t think Deion Sanders had much respect for the game,” Fisk said. “He showed it when he used to come up to the plate. I don’t know if anybody realized this, but he … sauntered up to the plate like he owned the stadium. And he used to draw a dollar sign in the dirt at home plate. The first time he did that I went, ‘Ah, this guy is driving me crazy already. He’s Neon Deion and the bling thing.’
“So then he hits a pop-up to the infield, and he just stands there like, ‘I don’t need to run this out because I’m Neon Deion.’ Then I started yelling at him, ‘Run the ball out.’ I don’t know if anybody I have played against has disrespected the game like he appears to be doing.
“So he comes up again and draws a dollar sign in the dirt. And you know what he says? He says, ‘Hey, man, the days of slavery are over.’ I stood up and walked up to him face to face and I said, ‘I don’t care whether you are black or blue or pink or red. … If you don’t start playing this game right, I’m going to kick your butt right here.'”
Racist redneck trash Klansmen like Carlton Fisk should be thrown out of baseball permanently. Jackie Robinson and Henry Aaron and Deion Sanders deserve better than to have to tolerate racism and bigotry. I always tell my children and grandchildren that racist whites are everywhere here in racist America and to watch your back. They will backstab you. We love Mr. Sanders forever.He is the best. We hope our grandchildren play just like Mr. Sanders.
I agree with what Fisk had to say about playing the game with respect, and I also played some ball myself, a stint in the Minors but never the less, Pro Ball, though we may not agree with being flashy and seeing show boaters hot dog it around, the game has turn into a athlete show case of extreme talent, being business minded and seeing that this game is all about entertainment, one must set himself apart, like the great ones do, I had a chance to play with Ricky Henderson the All Time base stealing king, and we all know that Ricky was biggest show boater around, BUT, he also back everything he said on the field and became one of the greatest base runners of all time not to mention all time lead off home run hitter and that’s only a few of the record he holds. So we may or may not like Neon Deon, but we can agree he was one of many great ones to have played both games extremely well.
And a new band name is born: “Neon Deion and The Bling Thing”
I agree with Carlton Fisk, respect the game. At least respect the fight Jackie Robinson, making possible for him to play.
if someone is trying to prove some kind of point about unmoderated comments, I get it. I really do.
To Mr Thomas Anthony Jones………..Stop playing the race card bit already. As talented as Sanders was, he was a bigtime showboat. His ability went to his head. One of the alltime great players Jackie Robinson would probably rollover in his grave if he had seen Sanders play. All Fisk was getting across was play the game right. I would have loved to seen Bob Gibson throw a high hard one to Sanders. Mr. Gibson would not tolerate Sanders behavior. Is that racist to you? Get a grip on reality.
“Run the ball out” is racist?
okay, then,
I’m sure that would be news to Jackie Robinson.
Mr. thomas Anthony Jones, Sr is an idiot. He is one of those guys that blame everything on race, I bet every speeding ticket he as it was because the cop was white. Sad when a grown man who cant fix his life still blames other people.
Doesn’t Fisk’s most famous moment involve him not running out a long fly balll?
Thanks John; Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones,Sr is an idiot. Another pathetic human being who covers reality with racism. What an insult to Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron that Sanders would be put in the same breath as they. Pudge is an ambassador for the game of baseball and he is “old-school”. There is a right way to play and a wrong way to play. The only thing that would have made Pudge’s run-in with Sanders even better would have been for him to follow through and kick Sanders’ ass right there at home plate of Yankee Stadium. Thanks Carlton; you are and always will be my baseball hero!
Beedlebaum with the win.
Fisk is the man – a man’s man. As far as race playing a role in Fisk’s decision, a lot of black ballplayers were glad that he faced Neon Deon because they didn’t like his actions either. Jackie Robinson had a tear in his eye when he saw how Sanders behaved on the baseball field.
Jackie Robinson died 17 years before Sanders made his big league debut. Sometimes, people don’t take CSTB seriously, but what other sports blog has readers who can communicate with the deceased?
I remember the incident well. Fisk told Sanders -“You dont deserve to wear the Pinstripes!” That coming from a Bosox player! Fisk had monumental battles with Thurman Munson, Reggie , Lou P.,and the rest of those great Yankee teams , so he had no tolerance for someone who disrespected the game so badly.
If anyone on this planet thinks Carlton Fisk is a racist you are totally wrong. There has neverbeen a MAN, yes a say MAN who has never been one of the greatest players, from two great franchises, if anyone knows squat, one of his best friends and pitchers he caught for was the Great El Tiante, met the pitcher, bought cigars, met pudge i was 7, lumberjack fron nh, but there has never been anyone like him, true warrior- learn the facts
deion was a lazy swine. it’s sad that some blacks make a racial issue out of baseball integrity. however, this is part of the reason that too many blacks stay near the bottom of the economic & social classes.
and in spite of this alleged epidemic of black laziness and race card playing, you’ve failed to send us a copy of your bank account balance so we can see how well you’re doing compared to Deion Sanders.
“this is part of the reason that too many blacks stay near the bottom of the economic & social classes.”
You’re the first sociologist or economist ever to blame these struggles on “blacks who make a racial issue out of baseball’s integrity”.
Mr. Thomas Anthony Jones has no respect for people or baseball. And he’s a racist.
I like Deion a lot now, but I couldn’t stand him when he was playing.
He was a punk.
Just what the hell did race have to do with any of this.
When did Fisk bring up the fact that Deion was black?
Sounds to me like Deion was just playing the race card because he obviously had a huge chip on his shoulder and thought he was better than anyone else.
Fisk is old school when it comes to playing baseball; he thinks you should hustle on EVERY play, even the infield pop ups.
And the ironic thing here is that this was in Yankee Stadium, and Fisk hated the Yankees, but he appreciated their history.
Why is it every time a white guy says something to a black guy it’s racism come get over it already if people wake up and see who the racists are
Mr. Jones if anyone is a racist you are how can you sit there and call someone a racist when you’re sitting there using words like redneck Klansman what are you an idiot?
Bigotry is a mother hum!!!
Beedlebaum, Fisk’s long fly ball in the ’75 World Series was either going to be a home run or a foul ball. He wasn’t waving it up so it clears the fence, he was waving to his right so it stays fair. Nobody runs out balls that have plenty of distance but may hook foul.
I first became aware of the Fisk-Sanders altercation from Florence King’s book With Charity Toward None. The stuff of baseball lore, for sure.
Black athletes (like Sanders) have played the race card when criticized for years. Now, many black Americans play the race card in every-day-life when dealing with their problems. Look at Ferguson, Missouri. Look at our black President who has perpetuated this mindset.
crying fucking shame “playing the race card” has entered the popular vernacular to the point where legit complaints about actual RACISM are easily dismissed by dimwits as “playing the race card”.
Sorry, WUZ I PLAYING THE RACE CARD?