Gary Carter Was Can’t Miss Kid

Hall of fame catcher Gary Carter passed away on Thursday at age 57. Forty years ago in 1972 the three sport star athlete at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, California was drafted in the third round by the Montreal Expos. In the era of the four letter man, Carter earned alphabets in football, baseball and basketball.

Though the Expos did not draft him until the third round it was obvious they were getting a good athlete with tremendous potential. Before injuring his knee Carter was an All-American quarterback at Sunny Hills. He accepted a scholarship to play for UCLA.

It took $40,000 to get Gary Carter to put down the football and pick up the baseball. That is how much the Expos paid him to sign. So in a twist of history Carter went from backing up Mark Harmon to a career in baseball which would lead him to the Hall of Game.

Carter was signed as a shortstop and began his career in the outfield. His first spring training impressions led the veterans such as Tim Foli, Ken Singleton and Mike Jorgenson to call him Kid. From that spring on Gary Carter would always be known as ‘The Kid’.

In 1974 he was moved behind the plate while at Triple A. Carter hit 23 home runs and drove in 83 with the Memphis Blues. At the end of the year he was called up to the big club. He made his major league debut on September 16, 1974 and went hitless in four at bats. In nine games he got 11 hits and one home run.

The Expos decided that was enough to make the 21 year old a regular in 1975. But they did not make him the full time catcher. Gary Carter only caught in 66 games that year. He spent most of his time in the outfield and played one game at third base. Barry Foote was the Expos regular catcher. Carter would not become a full time major league catcher until 1977.

Carter had a very good rookie season. He batted .270 with 17 home runs and 68 runs batted in (RBI). He made the National League all-star team as a backup and replaced Pete Rose in left field. Though he did not get an at bat he did have one putout.

When the voting for Rookie of the Year was announced Gary Carter was second to San Francisco Giants pitcher John Montefusco. It was a sign of things to come.

Carter would go on to play 19 big league seasons. He would finish with over 300 home runs and more than 1,200 RBI’s. After being traded from the Expos to the New York Mets in 1985 he helped lead them to a world’s championship in 1986. It was his single that sparked the rally which won the famous game six of the 1986 World Series.

Through it all, he did it with a smile and unmatched love for the game.

Gary Carter was ‘The Kid’ to the end.

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