The Kid Will Be Remembered For a Very Long Time

Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter will always be remembered for his enthusiasm, love for the game, and constant smile. This earned him his nickname as "The Kid." Carter passed away today at age 57 following a battle with brain cancer. Carter was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003, capping off a 19-year career in the majors. He was an 11-time All Star (two All Star Game MVPs) and finished with a .262 average, 324 home runs, and 1,225 RBIs. Carter began his career with the Montreal Expos and led them to their only playoff berth as a franchise. He was one of the most durable and consistent catchers ever to play the game.

The Kid will always be remembered most for his clutch play for the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series. In Game 4, he homered twice over the Green Monster at Fenway. Then, in Game 6, the Mets were down to their final out with Carter coming to the plate. No one was on and they trailed 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning. He stated afterwards, "I wasn't going to make the last out of the World Series." He delivered a single to left field. That started a rally that is now considered one of the greatest in baseball history. In Game 7, he also drove in the tying run in a game that helped the Mets win their most recent World Series championship. Overall, he totaled nine RBIs in the Series. That mark has only been matched once since. This World Series was clearly the climax of Carter's career.

But more than anything Carter did on the field, he will be remembered for his passion and the exuberance he displayed game after game. He did come up with some clutch plays in his career, but what will be remembered is how much he loved the game. Carter's bronze plaque in Cooperstown displays The Kid's classic toothy grin. I also believe it summarizes his life as well as anyone could. It reads, "An exuberant on-field general with a signature smile who was known for clutch hitting and rock-solid defense over 19 seasons." The Kid will always be remembered as just that, a kid who simply loved the game and couldn't help but show it.