American League Roundup : Fisk Not Getting Older; He Is Getting Better

There isn’t really anything unusual about a 40-year-old pitcher throwing a four-hitter. But 37-year-old catchers just don’t lead the major leagues in home runs.

In fact, at 37, catchers are either retired or playing some other position.

That’s the way it was until Carlton Fisk discovered weight training. Always a pretty good power hitter, Fisk, who will be 38 the day after Christmas, is suddenly Superman.

Fisk hammered his 24th home run, tops in the majors, Friday night at Chicago to provide the only run as Tom Seaver beat Cleveland, 1-0, to win his 298th career victory.

The 40-year-old Seaver (10-7) barely outpitched Bert Blyleven, a mere 34, who gave up five hits and pitched his ninth consecutive complete game. Fisk’s home run came in the second inning, and it was the eighth time he provided the game-winning hit.

Fisk is only two home runs away from a career-high, and he is trying to become the first catcher ever to lead the American League in home runs. Johnny Bench led the National League twice, but he was 22 and 24, respectively, when he did it. At 32, he stopped catching. Few catchers have lasted much past 32.

When Fisk missed much of last season because of a stomach muscle problem, it appeared he had outlived his usefulness. But spending hours at a Nautilus center almost daily has given his career new life.

Asked by Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post how much time he had spent working on weights, Fisk answered: “Hours, days, years. I was much stronger before the season started, but the schedule wears you out.

“But, I am at the park working out sometimes as late as 1:30 a.m. on the road.”

The 6-2, 220-pound Fisk has always been a hard worker. In 1978 he caught 154 games and lost 34 pounds in the process. Three different times he’s battled back from serious injuries.

It was Seaver’s first shutout of the season, but the 61st of his career.

Texas 2, Detroit 1--A former team member, Dave Rozema, had a hand in continuing the Tigers’ slump at Detroit. Rozema had some anxious moments, but pitched three scoreless innings to earn a save for Burt Hooton. It was the Tigers’ fifth loss in the last six games.

Rozema took over in the seventh, but loaded the bases with two out. When Kirk Gibson came up, Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine hurried to the mound.

“I looked at his eyes,” Valentine told the UPI, “and he looked all right. He said he was mad and wanted Gibson, so I left him in.”

Gibson grounded out to second.

Toronto 5, Oakland 1--While some of the better-known Blue Jay hitters have not been doing well, Rance Mulliniks remains hot.

In this game at Toronto, Mulliniks went 3 for 3, two of them doubles, scored two runs and drove in another to help the Blue Jays end a four-game losing streak. Mulliniks raised his average to .324.

Jimmy Key (8-4) got the win, with last-out help from Bill Caudill.

Kansas City 10, Baltimore 3--Dane Iorg had batted only 53 times this season and driven in only 7 runs before Manager Dick Howser put him in left field in this game at Baltimore.

Iorg responded by driving in five runs, two of them in a six-run fourth inning that wiped out the Orioles.

Iorg had two two-run singles and a run-producing ground-out in his first three times at-bat.

Willie Wilson and Steve Balboni each had three hits for the Royals, Balboni getting his 15th homer in the ninth.

Milwaukee 9, Seattle 7--Paul Molitor hit a home run and a three-run double at Milwaukee to lead the Brewers. Robin Yount had three hits to help the cause.

The Mariners, trailing, 8-3, scored four times in the eighth, but Bob Gibson finally put an end to the rally and pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

New York 6, Minnesota 4--Mike Pagliarulo hit a two-run home run in the second inning at Minneapolis, a 420-foot shot into the upper deck in right at the Metrodome. Don Baylor also homered for the Yankees.

John Butcher struck out four of the first six Yankees before Willie Randolph slashed a double and Pagliarulo hit his long home run.

Baylor’s smash in the fifth carried a mere 362 feet, but it came with Dave Winfield on base. The Twins also hit two home runs, one by Randy Bush, the other by Gary Gaetti.