By Ryan G. Van Cleave

Maybe it shouldn’t come as such as surprise that a lot of ex-Major League Baseball players live on the gulf coast. With so many current minor leaguers here for the Gulf Coast League and the Florida State League—not to mention how many MLB teams host their spring training nearby—it only makes sense that a lot of these players eventually find their way back to the sun-kissed beaches of Florida once their athletic careers are over. Some of the names, though, might surprise you.
Johnny Bench lives in Naples. Tim McCarver lives in Sarasota, as does former White Sox catcher Marv Foley and Detroit Tiger pitcher Al Kaline. And they all play golf, which is probably why it was so easy for Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk (who lives in Bradenton) to recruit these former pro athletes to participate in the “Fisk & Friends” Celebrity Golf Classic which takes place at The Founders Club this November 9.
“It used to be Otto Graham’s tournament,” says Fisk, who’s in the second year of seeing his name attached to this event. “But after he passed, the tournament faded, and the organizing committee asked for my help. It’s the first time I ever put my name on something like this. I was happy to help out.”
Part of what Fisk is so proud of is how the event’s charity, the Suncoast Foundation for the Handicapped, Inc., operates. He points out that “the money goes to the foundation and the kids, not to the administrative part. It’s so rewarding to affect kids’ lives.” Marv Foley quickly adds, “Any charity that helps children—I’m all for that. Being a part of that is wholesome.” The efforts of the Suncoast Foundation have resulted in over $14 million in facilities being constructed for various local charities serving children with special needs, including The Florida Center, Special Olympics, Loveland Center, United Cerebral Palsy, Community Haven and Adult Center, and Oak Park School. Fisk continues, “It is my hope that we continue to grow the tournament each year—we want to help as many needy children and families as possible.”
Thanks to his own fame and his generous personality, Fisk has his share of celebrity friends to call on to participate in the Classic, with last year’s event including NBA legend John Havlicek, hockey greats Phil Esposito and Stan Mikita, and Keith Colburn, who captains The Wizard, the crabbing boat featured for five seasons on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch.” That’s not even mentioning the MLB notables such as Goose Gossage, Phil Niekro, and Bronson Arroyo. Fisk has a wish list of future celebrity participants that includes U2’s Bono, Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton, and the actor Peter Jacobson. If the success of last year’s event is duplicated this November, he might well have his pick of celebrities to choose from.
When asked about why so many ex-MLBers seem to play a mean game of golf, Fisk says, “Sure, baseball players won’t swing and miss the ball. But they usually have to cure a disastrous slice because the top hand starts moving too soon.” In his experience, it’s hockey players whose swing translates best into a good golf swing. Just ask Phil Esposito, he has close to a single digit handicap. Fisk is quick to point out that he himself is no golf professional. “When I played baseball, I didn’t play golf. Baseball simply took up too much time and energy. Once I finished playing, I picked it up and really enjoyed playing. I’ve gone to Europe and played in Scotland and Ireland. I’ve also played Pebble Beach, Spyglass, and Cypress Point. More so than a single good round, those were probably the highlights of my golfing experience.”

The “Fisk & Friends Celebrity Classic” kicks off with a Pre-Tournament Reception and Auction on Sunday, November 8, at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota from 6-9 pm. A limited number of tickets will be available to the public for $125 each. On Monday, November 9, registration and a breakfast buffet will be available from 8-10 am followed by a shotgun start with lunch being served on the course. A “Sweet Ending” reception, helicopter ball drop and awards presentation will conclude the day’s events. For more information, call 941-371-8820, ext. 1800 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Fisk has had the pleasure of playing with many famous golfers already, so when asked what his dream golf foursome is, he had to mull it over a bit first. “I’d like to play with Tiger Woods just to see how good he is and how bad I am,” he says, laughing. “I would probably have liked to play with Byron Nelson. Who else? Maybe Elvis! I’ve played with some terrific people in pro-ams, plus a lot of guys on the senior tour and the regular tour.”
Fisk is a member of the Gator Creek Golf Club, one of the area’s many fine courses, and he is also a member at The Founders Club, a 700-acre property on the edge of Sarasota, where the Classic will take place. Links magazine ranked The Founders Club among “America’s 100 Premier Properties” for three straight years, and it has been named to Travel + Leisure Golf magazine’s “America’s Top 100 Golf Course Communities” for the past three years, as well. A signature five-tee course by Robert Trent Jones Jr., this beautiful site is an ideal, championship-caliber venue for the Classic.
 “I’ve been so fortunate all my life and it gives me great pleasure to give back to my local community,” says Fisk. And when November 9th comes around, Sarasota will host more than its usual share of past and present MLB players, even if they will be swinging Big Berthas versus Louisville Sluggers. No matter which team wins or what anyone shoots, every celebrity player is happy to be supporting a terrific cause and making a difference. And we’ve all got area resident Carlton Fisk to thank for it.