Gary Carter

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Lore & Background

Carter was known throughout his career for his hitting, excellent defense, ability to handle pitchers and on-field leadership. He made clutch contributions to the Mets' World Series championship in 1986, including a 12th-inning single against the Houston Astros to win Game 5 of the NLCS and a 10th-inning single against the Boston Red Sox to start the comeback rally in Game 6 of the World Series. He is one of only four players to be named captain of the Mets, and the Expos retired his number 8. After leaving the major leagues, Carter coached baseball at the college and minor-league levels. In 2003, Carter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first Hall of Famer whose plaque depicts him as a member of the Montreal Expos.

In Their Own Story

The pressure was immense during the 1986 World Series against the Boston Red Sox. In Game Four, Carter hit two home runs over Fenway Park's Green Monster, becoming the only player to hit two home runs in both an All-Star Game and a World Series game. Later, in Game Six, the Mets trailed in the tenth inning. With two outs, Carter stepped up and singled against the Red Sox, sparking a rally that scored three runs and turned the tide of the series. He also contributed with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly to tie the game earlier in the contest. These clutch contributions were instrumental in the Mets winning the championship in seven games. Beyond the stats, his leadership was vital; he served as co-captain alongside Keith Hernandez from 1987 through 1988, guiding the team even during slumps.

Reader's Guide

Carter was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Culver City in 1954 to Jim Carter, an aircraft worker, and his wife, Inge. One month after Carter turned 12 in 1966, his 37-year-old mother died of leukemia. Athletic at a young age, Carter, along with four other boys, won the seven-year-old category of the first national Punt, Pass, and Kick skills competition in 1961. Carter attended Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, where he played football as a quarterback and baseball as an infielder, graduating in 1972. He also played American Legion Baseball and was named the 1971 American Legion Graduate of the Year. After receiving more than 100 athletic scholarship offers, Carter signed a letter of intent to play football for the UCLA Bruins as a quarterback, but then signed with the Montreal Expos after they selected him in the third round (53rd overall) of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. Carter earned his nickname of "the Kid" during his first spring training camp with the Expos in 1974. The Expos converted Carter to a catcher in the minor leagues. In 1974, he hit 23 home runs and drove in 83 runs for the Expos' Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Blues. Following a September callup, Carter made his major league debut at Jarry Park in Montreal in the second game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets on September 16. Despite batting 0–4 in his debut game, he finished the season batting .407 (11–27). His first major-league hits came in both games of an Expos sweep of another doubleheader with the Mets on September 18, as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of the opener and as the catcher in the second game. His first MLB home run occurred on September 28 against Steve Carlton in a 3–1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Carter split time between right field and catching during his rookie season (1975), and was selected for the National League All-Star team as a right fielder. He did not have a plate appearance in the game but played as a defensive replacement for Pete Rose in the ninth inning, when he caught Rod Carew's fly ball for the final out of the NL's 6–3 victory. In his rookie season, Carter hit .270 with 17 home runs and 68 runs batted in, receiving the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award and finishing second to San Francisco Giants pitcher John Montefusco for the National League Rookie of the Year award. He was also voted the Expos

Did You Know?

• Carter is one of only four players to be named captain of the Mets.
• He is the only player to hit two home runs in both an All-Star Game (1981) and a World Series game.
• Carter broke the career putout record for catchers in 1988, surpassing Bill Freehan's mark of 9,941 putouts.
• He finished third on the NL MVP ballot in 1986.