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Bob Montgomery holds the distinction of being the last man in Major League Baseball history to step into the batter’s box without a helmet. In 1971 Baseball mandated that every hitter wear a helmet, grandfathering in any active player who wished to shun the head protection. It is believed that only three players elected to go that route – Tony Taylor, Norm Cash and Montgomery.

Cash who retired in 1974, was a batting champ who hit .385 in the 1968 World Series victory over the Cardinals. Taylor was a dependable infielder who enjoyed a 19-year career and tallied more than 2,000 hits and 1,000 runs. When Taylor retired in 1976, it left Montgomery as the last helmetless batter in the big leagues.

For the next three seasons Montgomery hit .316 as Carlton Fisk‘s backup, before retiring after the 1979 season. During his ten-year career, Montgomery played in just 387 games, all for Boston. His lifetime numbers include 306 hits, 23 homers, and 156 runs batted in.

In the collection is Montgomery’s handwritten recollection of his greatest thrill in baseball. Montgomery writes, “My greatest thrill in baseball came on Aug 11, 1971 at Fenway Park, Boston vs. Detroit. I hit my first big league grand slam. Those four RBIs plus two I got earlier in the game gave me a total of six for 1 game. We also came from behind to win in 10 innings 11-10.”

Montgomery did indeed have a grand slam and six runs batted in against Detroit in august of ’71. However, the game was two days earlier than the catcher recalled and the final score was 12-11.

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An All State performer in three sports in high school, Bob Montgomery signed his first pro contract in 1962 at age 18. He toiled in the minor leagues for nine years before joining the Red Sox in 1970. Monty stuck in the big leagues for ten seasons, primarily as backup for future Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk. He appeared in as many as 68 games only once.

In ’71 Montgomery shared the Boston catching duties with Duane Josephson, appearing in 67 games. That September Fisk was called up.

After hitting .313 and playing solid defense, Fisk was made the regular catcher in ’72. As Fisk’s backup, Montgomery played in just 24 games and hit .286.

It was more of the same in ’73; Fisk played in 135 games while Monty appeared in just 34. That changed in ’74 when Fisk suffered a season-ending injury in late June. Montgomery set career highs in games played, hits, runs, and RBI.

When Fisk broke his arm in spring training of ’75, Montgomery was again the regular catcher until his return in June. The Sox made the postseason for the first time since the Impossible Dream season of ’67. Monty did not appear in the ALCS and had one at bat in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the Fall Classic.

With Fisk healthy in ’76, Montgomery played in just 31 games. From ’77-’79 Monty appeared in a combined 59 games. His final season came at in ’79 when he hit .349 in 92 plate appearances. His final at bat came on September 9, 1979 as the last big leaguer to hit without a batting helmet.

The Red Sox moved on from the 36-year old Montgomery in 1980, giving backup duties to Gary Allenson who was 11 years his junior.

In the collection is this payroll check to Fisk from the Red Sox dated August 31, 1976. Fisk earned this money in his fourth All Star season in the country’s bicentennial year.

More on Fisk can be seen by clicking here.