He was the baseball catcher that reached the Hall of Fame. Now it has been announced that Gary Carter died at the relatively young age of 57. His stint with the New York Mets is fondly remembered by both his managers and teammates. Apparently he had this unique ability to make things better even if he was not particularly trying. The sunny disposition ensured that he was always popular. The game and the genre have lost a very important figure. He joined the team in the 186 World Series. One of his most famous moments was a rally that was considered to be nearly impossible. He brought it off to the astonishment of all the people that had come to watch the game. The community loved both the man and the star.
A tribute to a baseball legend
Last May the terrible news came that Gary Carter had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. This was just 14 days after he finished his second season as a coach for the Palm Beach Atlantic University. According to a spokesperson for the Mets he died at a hospice in the West Palm Beach area of Florida. There were warm tributes to the late star after Jay Horwitz made the announcement. They were particularly complimentary about his bubbly personality which seems almost infectious given the seriousness of the tasks at hand. His ability to excel on the ball field ensured that he would always be remembered as one of the great players in the grand scheme that is entertainment.
When they gave him a bronze statue for the Hall of Fame, he was still wearing that adorably toothy grin which made all the difference. This was a star that was not afraid to smile and enjoy life. Far too often we are dealing with people who take the game too seriously. The sense of fun is required in order to keep team cohesion and to maintain sanity even when things are not going your way. That is the unique quality that Gary Carter brought to the game.
