Fisk Objects to Prime Time

Our Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the Day comes from the May 23, 1990 edition of the New York Daily News, “ Fisk Objects to Prime Time.” Of course, it was talking about the incident that occurred when the Chicago White Sox visited the New York Yankees on

May 22, 1990—Deion Sanders, an NFL Hall of Fame player who was also moonlighting in the MLB, was involved in a dispute with Chicago White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk, one of the most infamous incidents of Sanders' baseball career.

This story goes a little deeper than just the headline. Let’s set the table for this one with some info provided by an article on the Undefeated.com. Fisk, aka “The Commander” or “Pudge,” was entering his fourth decade as a player. He also spent the first part of his career with the Boston Red Sox, so there was absolutely no love lost playing against the team from the Bronx. On the other hand the flamboyant Sanders attracted a lot of media attention.

The fifth overall selection in the 1989 NFL draft had signed a 4-year, $4 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, made the Yankees’ Opening Day roster in 1990 and became one of the first in the majors to wear his own brand. The Daily News shares that Fisk became incensed when Prime Time, before stepping into the batter's box, drew dollar signs in the dirt by home plate right before the first pitch of the fifth inning.

Deion swears he wasn’t drawing the dollar signs but was simply performing the dust scribble ritual before entering the box that he has done since he was a youngster. Sanders continued to have fun with reporters about the confrontation after his Yankees won 5-2 while Fisk was still upset and yelled at the media as he entered his post game shower.