Hall Of Famer Gary Carter Dead At 57

Via the Atlantic’s great tribute to Gary Carter, we find out that Carter’s daughter was preternaturally gifted as well:

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When I (co-)wrote my first book in 1999, I was indignant.

Okay, so I’m indignant all the time. Specifically, at that moment, I was indignant about Gary Carter. At that point he’d made two appearances on the BBWAA’s Hall of Fame ballot. The first time, he garnered 42 percent support; the second time, he fell to 33 percent.

Pearlman tends to overstate his cases, just a little. But if you want the full picture of Carter’s career, you really need to read about the people who didn’t love him, too.

The news about Gary Carter’s health had long been grim, so it wasn’t a surprise that shortly after he passed, there were several thoughtful and well-written tributes and obituaries that were published quickly. The New York Times has two, starting with the more standard obituary …

… and following with a touching piece that recounted one of his last public appearances:

On September 27, 1992, Gary Carter played in his final major league game, the last home game for the Montreal Expos that year. Carter had returned to his original team, the Expos, for one final major league season at age 38. Though his overall numbers -- .218/.299/.340 -- weren’t very good, 41,802 fans turned out to see the future Hall of Famer play for the last time.

Carter’s double, somehow fittingly just over the head of his longtime teammate and friend Andre Dawson, drove in the only run in the Expos’ 1-0 win. You can see Carter’s exuberance and love of the game in his face as he stood on second base, then left for a pinch-runner to the cheers of the crowd and the hugs of his teammates.

Over at SI.Com, Tom Verducci has a nice tribute to Gary Carter, who will be remembered as one of the best catchers ever, but who was also an unusually devout family man.

The 1986 Mets were famously rambunctious and wild, and while Carter’s time on that team might be remembered most for the two-out, bases-empty single that kept Game 6 alive against the Boston Red Sox, it was Carter’s different lifestyle that stuck out.

Commissioner Bud Selig released the following statement following the death of Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter:

Gary Carter was drafted in the third round of the 1972 draft out of high school. The picks before and after him never made it out of the minor leagues at all, but Carter was in the majors just two years later. His first full season was with the Montreal Expos when he was 21, when he made the National League All-Star team and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting.

It wasn’t until his third season, though, that Carter became a full-time catcher, as he played a substantial time in the outfield for the Expos. In 1977, the 23-year-old had one of his best seasons, hitting .284 with a .356 on-base percentage and a .525 slugging percentage. He hit 31 home runs that year, while catching 143 games. Amazingly, he didn’t receive a single MVP vote that season.

Carter played 19 major league seasons, mostly for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. His best seasons came for the Expos, and he was the starting catcher for Montreal’s only playoff team in 1981. He was traded to the Mets after the 1984 season and was behind the plate when the Mets won the World Series over the Boston Red Sox in 1986.

He finished his career with a single season with the Giants and one with the Dodgers, before a final reunion year with the Expos in 1992.

Sad news regarding Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, who was diagnosed with brain tumors last May. From the New York Daily News:

On Thursday, Carter’s family received a phone call from the doctors at Duke University who have been treating the Mets Hall of Fame catcher informing them that the most recent MRI revealed “several new spots/tumors on his brain,” Carter’s daughter, Kimmy Bloomers, wrote on the family website.The 57-year-old Carter was diagnosed with brain tumors after complaining about dizzy spells and memory loss, and according to the Daily News, Carter doesn’t feel that his treatment has helped at all.

Tuesday morning, the Sporting News reported that Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter’s brain tumors may be inoperable, according to his daughter:

Carter hit .262 with 324 homers and 1225 RBIs over a 19-year major league career spent mostly with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. He was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

Well, today’s news could hardly be worse for Gary Carter, his family, and his legion of fans. According to the Daily News:

The diagnosis won’t be certain until next week, but “a family source” confirmed the story Friday. Carter is expected to begin chemotherapy treatment once the test results are final.

Carter, age 57, entered the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003, and was the first player to wear a Montreal Expos cap on his plaque. He was an iconic presence with the Expos of the 1970s and early ‘80s, as well as the terrific Mets teams of the mid-‘80s, playing a big role in the franchise’s 1986 championship. Carter currently serves as head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic baseball team.

We certainly wish the best for Gary Carter and his family as they proceed through this uncertain time.