Published: 8/9/2017 5:32:58 PM
Modified: 8/10/2017 1:15:45 AM
Hanover — The owner of a framed Boston Red Sox baseball jersey signed by Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk is asking the public for help in returning it to his Hanover restaurant, where it was stolen last week.
Salt hill Pub co-owner Josh Tuohy had only one plea on Wednesday.
“We would like it back immediately. Drop it off in person or anonymously, it doesn’t matter — no questions asked,” he wrote in a post on Salt hill Pub’s Facebook page.
The jersey, a framed and signed Fisk No. 27 with an accompanying baseball card, was given to Tuohy about 10 years ago and has a lot of “personal value.”
“This means more to me than whoever took it could possibly know,” Tuohy said in a telephone interview.
Tuohy, who together with his brother Joe and other family members run five locations in the Upper Valley, isn’t at the Hanover eatery every day, so he first learned the jersey wasn’t in its normal place earlier this week.
He believes someone stole it around Aug. 1.
The piece is rather large — roughly 2½ by 3 feet — and hung about six feet up on the wall near the bar.
It wasn’t bolted down because it was a personal item that Tuohy didn’t want to alter.
Fisk, who lived in Charlestown and was born in Bellows Falls, Vt., is Tuohy’s favorite ballplayer.
The 69-year-old Fisk played 24 seasons, the latter half for the Chicago White Sox, and caught more games (2,226) and hit more home runs (351) than any catcher before him, according to his Hall of Fame plaque.
He also hit a game-winning home run in the 12th inning of Game 6 in the 1975 World Series, one of the most celebrated moments in Red Sox history.
Tuohy said he wasn’t sure what the list price of the jersey would be, and he hasn’t enlisted the police department’s help — yet.
“People take stuff. It happens,” Tuohy said. “But this isn’t a beer mirror or a flag. It has sentimental value.”
Several years ago, a similar situation took place at the Lebanon Salt hill involving a sign that was given to the family by someone who has since passed away. After a post was made on Facebook, the sign showed up.
“I am hoping that happens,” Tuohy said.
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248