Thursday, February 16, 2012

Welcome to Heaven, Gary Carter

One of my favorite memories of childhood with Master Bates.



It's a shame no one has put that home run with the TV call up on youtube because Steve Zabriskie punctuated it beautifully with, "Welcome to New York, Gary Carter."

Gary Carter, a true class act through and through.
The 86 Mets are obviously my favorite team of all-time and Carter was an integral part of that team. He got up with 2 outs in the 10th down 2 runs and started the Game 6 rally.
As I grew up and learned more about the jerks who were on the 86 team I learned that Carter was actually pretty hated by most of the other players. They though he was too clean, that he was putting on an act for the TV cameras, and that he was always talking with reporters so he could get more favorable coverage.
I think the truth is Carter was just a really nice guy who loved his wife and his kids, and on that team he was the oddball.
But in heaven, where Carter is going, there are plenty more like him.
And even when cancer had him down 2 runs, 2 strikes in the 10th inning of a World Series elimination game, Carter never gave up. But this time, he lost.

3 comments:

Damino said...

Very well said, and goes without saying that he is one of my all time favorites. I have an autographed photo of him from the 1986 World Series hanging on my bedroom wall.

Paul said...

What does Mrs. Damino think of that?

Damino said...

It was a 30th birthday present from her and it's only an 8 1/2 by 11, so she is ok with it. But she'd rather it be with my Bobby Hurley autograph away from our bedroom.