Requiem, Kid

In baseball, perhaps one of the most challenging positions to play is catcher. Aside from the fact that a catcher is playing from a squatting position most of the game, the catcher is also the one who helps the pitcher decide what pitch to throw at the hitter; sometimes, the catcher engages the hitter in patter to throw off the hitter's timing. The catcher is also the one who blocks home plate when a runner is coming in to score; oftentimes, the runner simply crashes into the catcher, which sometimes results in injuries. To be able to play this position, and play it well, for 19 seasons, requires a special type of person, a special type of talent. Gary Carter, who died of brain cancer last Thursday at the age of 57, was one such person.

Carter played 19 seasons, primarily for the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, but also one season each for the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Over the course of those 19 seasons, Carter batted .262, hit 324 home runs, and drove in 1224 runs. He was an 11-time All-Star, won 3 Gold Gloves, and was a Silver Slugger 5 times. He holds the National League record for most games caught. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003, in his sixth year on the ballot. His Hall plaque reads, “An exuberant on-field general with a signature smile who was known for clutch hitting and rock-solid defense over 19 seasons.”

Perhaps Carter's greatest moment was in the 1986 World Series. Down 5-3 in the 10th inning against the Boston Red Sox, with two outs, Carter hit a single which started a rally that led to Bill Buckner's infamous error. The Mets went on to win the Series in Game 7; Carter also contributed to the win by driving in the tying run in the 6th inning.


Carter who was known as "The Kid" for his sunny disposition, played the game to the fullest. According to Hall of Famer pitcher Tom Seaver,

"“Nobody loved the game of baseball more than Gary Carter. Nobody enjoyed playing the game of baseball more than Gary Carter. He wore his heart on his sleeve every inning he played.”


Requiem in pace, "Kid".

Image from Gretchpages