New to the Shoebox - 1973 Topps Carlton Fisk

I have a wedding coming up, less than four months away now, so naturally I've been much more frugal lately with card purchases. I am trying to make every dollar count, so as much fun as it is opening random packs, there's not much of that in my near future. I won't be ripping any blasters and putting the cards away in a monster box to collect dust for the next five years until I ultimately trade or give them away. Instead, I'm finding cheap ways to fill in my collection with cards that actually make it significantly better in my eyes. First up, a Red Sox card that I have wanted for some time now:

1973 Topps - #193 - Carlton Fisk

As a Red Sox fan, it's pretty inexcusable that I went without this card in my collection for so long. I know he played significantly more career games with the White Sox than the Red, but he's a legend in Boston. Forget everything else he did in a Red Sox uniform, he's a household name for Game 6 of the 1975 World Series alone.

I know it's not the greatest looking card Topps ever produced. Like many 1973 Topps, the photo is not exactly stellar. I've always liked the design nonetheless, and Carlton's odd facial expression at least gives it some life. The Topps All-Star Rookie cup is a nice plus. This is Fisk's first solo Topps card, as everyone knows he shared his '72 Topps rookie with Mike Garman and Cecil Cooper. Someday I hope to pick that one up as well. Let's look at the back:

Nothing ground-breaking here, I like the cartoon catcher but the cartoon overall isn't anything to write home about. We learn that Pudge was unanimously voted the 1972 AL Rookie of the Year, after leading the Red Sox in round trippers (and setting the club record for a catcher). I'm interested in the "In Military Service" caption that replaces Fisk's would-be stats for the 1967 season. Can someone out there fill me in on this? I found a couple of sites indicating he had a military obligation to fill but didn't dig into it any further.

This card is in absolute mint condition, four sharp corners, no dings or scratches, and good centering. It only set me back a five spot at the local hobby shop, which I happily forked over. I will certainly enjoy it much more than a rack pack from Target!