RIP Gary Carter

[WOLF]

I thought this deserved it's own thread.

My first childhood hero, Gary Carter, has passed away. RIP Kid.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/TheKid8

Just posted by his daughter:

February 16th, 2011
Hello to Team Carter,
It has been exactly 4 weeks since the last journal and that decision was made as a family. I am deeply saddened to tell you all that my precious dad went to be with Jesus today at 4:10 pm. This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know.
He is in heaven and has reunited with his mom and dad. I believe with all my heart that dad had a STANDING OVATION as he walked through the gates of heaven to be with Jesus.
Thank you all for loving my dad and my entire family. I will still share with you all the last four weeks with my dad because they were incredibly special.
I am thankful that many years ago, my dad accepted Jesus Christ to be his personal Savior because I know He is now in NO pain and is the most beautiful angel. He is now in God's Hall of Fame.
We praise you, Jesus and thank you for giving my dad to us for 57 years.

...but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31

[Machado]

http://youtu.be/MZS4uaUUIjw

WOLF-
I can still remember watching The Baseball Bunch Saturday mornings on local t.v.
Bench was my favorite player at the time.

This pickle play with Bench and Carter stick in my memory!

[WOLF]

This was a famous 7-Up commercial, aired up in Canada, during his tenure with the Expos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux6Q_ynkvn0

[ParaDime77]

The 1986 Mets will always be immortal!!! RIP #8

[Crazy Levi]

That's gotta be a record for "Jesus" usage in a death notice.

[Rageman]

I still laugh when I think of his 300th home run. He'd been sitting on 299 for a LONG time and you kind of felt bad for him because it was gaining more and more media steam and the pitchers were giving him NOTHING to hit and he was chasing pitches almost every at bat. You could see it was really starting to wear on his confidence as he was getting tired of the pre-game interviews asking the same questions every day. But regardless he still carried that "Kid" Carter class.

Then.

Finally.

Some pitcher threw a fastball over the plate and Gary crushed a no doubter to left. But when they showed the replay from the first plate dugout camera in slow motion, his eyes became huge in a "I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS!!!! HE THREW A STRIKE . . . AND IT'S A FASTBALL!!!!! I'M GONNA CRUSH THIS SHIT!!!!!!!!" kind of look. Even though it was gone the instant he hit it, he still ran hard and as he rounded first you could see the weight of the whole chase for 300 being lifted off of his chest.

Great moment in Americana I'll never forget. Thanks for the memories, Kid. May you rest in peace.

[Cooperkill]

This really is a sad day. I'm just happy that the Mets organization recognized Carter's contributions when he was first diagnosed. All season long they showed a tribute video of his Mets highlights. I snapped a pic at Citi Field last August:



Anyway, he won't be forgotten.

[TawnyVonJagger]

RIP Kid. Big news down here, as he lived here for years. He was the coach of FAU's baseball team for a couple of years as well. Very sad news.

[johnk5150]

I wished he was dead when he hit his 200th homer at Wrigley. Today not so much. He was a great ballplayer.

[WOLF]

The Montreal Canadiens wore "Carter - 8" jerseys for warmup yesterday, and they will be signed and auctioned off for the cancer foundation being organized by Carter's family. Classy move:

http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/page.htm? ... L|MTL|home

They also had a moving tribute to the Kid, prior to the first puck drop. Complete with Youppi! dressed in his old Expos get up:

http://video.canadiens.nhl.com/videocen ... L|MTL|home

New Kid In Town, by the Eagles, made me tear up.

[Fast_Eddie_Schenker]

I heard about this just as i left for a holiday so i'm a little late to post this. Gary Carter was my first, and all time favorite ball player. The Expos were short on talent and exposure for a lot of years. Even as Canada's only team while I was growing up, here in western Canada they didn't get the attention that Toronto got after they came into the league. Gary, and to a somewhat lesser extent Rusty Staub, were the two guys that were respected around the league.

Rest in peace Gary and thanks for the memories. Vive le Expos.