Saying goodbye to The Kid (1954-2012)
Baseball mourns the loss of Gary Carter, who helped the Mets to the 1986 title and was inducted in the Hall of Fame after a 19-year career with the Expos, Mets, Giants and Dodgers. “The Kid” passed away peacefully on Feb. 16, 2012, at the age of 57 in his home state of Florida after a courageous battle with brain cancer.
“Driven by a remarkable enthusiasm for the game, Gary Carter became one of the elite catchers of all-time,” Commissioner Bud Selig said. “‘The Kid’ was an 11-time All-Star and a durable, consistent slugger for the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, and he ranks among the most beloved players in the history of both of those franchises. . . . I extend my deepest condolences to Gary’s wife Sandy, their daughters Christy and Kimmy, their son D.J., their grandchildren, his friends and his many fans.”
Major League Baseball invites fans to please leave any condolences and memories of Gary in this guestbook blog’s comments.
Remembering Gary Carter 
To the “Kid”. Ever since I saw you play I always took pride in playing as tough and as smart as you as a catcher. Then after you retired and following your kindness to all you met and shared a moment with, I realized that you were my hero growing up and a part that makes me the man I am today. I will remember you as the happy go lucky baseball player and as the man the world got to know during your career and after. God bless to your family and MLB for knowing such a kind man. May you rest in peace.
Deepest condolences to the family. Take comfort in the fact that he is resting in the Father’s arms now, where illness can no longer touch him. It was a privelege to watch him play day by day…his spirit and zest, both for baseball and for life, was inspiring. We in New York were blessed to have a man of his caliber on our team, and the Expos and their fans even more so. They enjoyed many more years of his performance than we had a chance to. May God give you peace which passes all understanding, and we thank you for sharing “The Kid” with us.
I write this with tears in my eyes; Gary if Keith was the heart of the ’80’s Mets, you, my man were the soul. Your enthusiasm and love of the game- not to mention that smile- was as contagious as anything I have witnessed in the 46 years I’ve followed sports. Rest In peace Kid… I know Gil will get you on his team in Heaven…
I was at that game in 85 when Met fans fell in love with him. I even got his
autograph at Macy’s back in the day.. I see clearly his face — true kindness, warmth, and a healthy sense of entitlement. Hey, this Kid could back it up. At this time, I honor the beauty of his faith…which propels him into the arms of his Creator. And what a catcher, and a cutie to boot. Bless you and your family Number 8. Be
proud of a good man, a good player, and the love that follows him eternally.,
Gary Carter will always be remembered for his infectious smile and his love of the game. RIP #8
I met Gary Carter a bunch of times. He lived in the same condo as my grandmother did in Florida. My dad introduced us when I was a kid and we hung out on the beach together and he autographed a baseball for me. He was always such a nice guy. I am incredibly saddened by his passing and will be sending good thoughts and prayers to his loved ones.
Growing up in Montreal winter was for watching les Canadiens, but summer was for les Expos. Going to Expos games, and seeing the Kid in the squat, made me a lifelong (NL) baseball fan. Gary Carter was my first baseball hero. He will be missed.
I am truly sad learning of the passing of Gary Carter. Condolences to the Carter family and God Bless!
Salut à Gary, merci pour les beaux étés que tu m’as fait passé. Tu as été un idole pour moi, quand je jouais au baseball dans la rue, j’étais soit Gary Carter ou Tim Wallach. Ce soir est un soir très triste, cette fin de semaine, je porterai le chandail des Expos en ton honneur. Merci pour tout.
Moi aussi je porterais son gilet
I’ve been a Mets fan for as long as I can reemember. The ups of ’69 and the down years. I was thrilled when they acquired Gary Carter as a player. And over the years, I saw his love of the game, as well as his heart. No one can ever say he didn’t leave it all on the field as a player. I wish I could have known him as a man. There aren’t too many now that leave it on the field for the game. It’s all about the money now, and that’s a shame. To his family, my condolences, he will be missed by many. To the future fans, they won’t know what they missed except thru stories over time. And to Gary Carter, all I can say is thank you for everything you did.
Rest in peace Gary. We loved watching you catch as a Giant. Praying for comfort of your loved ones.
I’m really sorry to hear about the passing of Garry Carter. 57 is way too young. My prayers are with the family.
the love affair with the kid started before he donned a met uniform. It grew on opening day 1985 and has lasted a lifetime. I met him at a card show in Westchester county. He was so nice and pleasant and even gave my daughter the two fingers that Bill Robinson would give guys who reached first. RIP KID WE MISS AND LOVE YOU and thanks for 86
Thanks for the great memories Gary,Rest in peace,Praying for peace and confort for the family
When the Mets acquired Gary Carter I was so excited to be getting the caliber of player he showed to be in Montreal. Then he steps in and hits the game winning homer in extra innings on opening day! What a “hello NY”! Once a Met, always a Met! RIP #8
Very sad day in sports, we have lost a great baseball hero. I’d like to send my condolences to Gary’s family. 57 is a far too young age. The Kid fought as long as he was able to, he stayed strong and never gave up. Rest in Peace Kid Carter, we will never forget you. #8.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Mr Carter and his family. Thanks Kid for all you did for us.
Growing up, Gary Carter was my favorite player. I wore number 8, and even asked to play to catcher. I never met him, however I feel like I lost a friend today. My heart is sad at his passing, and filled with memories of the joy he gave me watching him. God Bless Gary Carter, and his family. The baseball family lost a true giant of the game.
I was shocked when I heard this very sad news. Gary Carter was so important to baseball in Canada and so sorry to hear of his passing. Condolences to his family and may he rest in peace
Christine
Love ya and will miss ya, Kid…
Baseball lost a great man in Gary Carter. He was not only a great catcher but a man of faith. I will never forget the great catch that he made in the all star game on the throw from Dave Parker to get the out. He will surely be missed in the baseball world. May you rest in peace Gary Edmund Carter. My condolences to the Carter family.
I never got to see Gary play, but watching highlights of his career truly made me idolize him as a player and as a man. His smile, demeanor, and passion for the game helped develop my passion for the game. You will always be endeared as one of the all time greatest Mets. Kid, you’ll never be forgotten.
Rest in peace, Gary.
Although I have not lived in NY since 1977, I have been a Mets fan since the “Amazings” in 1969. And with players like Gary Carter, how could you not stay a Mets fan? My children traveled to St. Louis to see the World Series team for a game against the Cardinals in 1986. And, “The Kid” was there working his tail off to pull of that win in an away stadium. What a game! And, I got all of their autographs, including Gary Carter’s.
I am also a cancer patient; I know what you have been going through so rest well, Gary, and know that there are so many people that you left behind who have wonderful memories of your glory days on the baseball diamond. We will all miss you intensely. You were what the Mets were made of – true grit and determination.
Rest in peace…..
This is such sad news. As an Expos fan growing up, there are a few key players whom I idolized, and Gary Carter was first and foremost. Even as an adult, it made me feel that same excitement for baseball that I had when I was a kid when he returned to finish his career in Montreal at a time when the franchise was on its last legs. I hope the Carter family understands the love and appreciation we had for a man we only knew on the field, who provided us with such joy and excitement over the years. Rest in Peace, Gary.
My greatest memory of Kid is Opening Day 1984 AGAINST the Mets. He hit a grand slam in the Expos 10-0 win at Shea. I remember saying that day, “Wouldn’t it be great if Gary Carter were a Met?” Thanks, Kid, for making all my boyhood dreams come true. Now a 40-year-old man, I feel like part of my childhood has ended. I’m sad–very sad–but this is also an opportunity to understand just what you meant to me as a kid. You were a hero in every sense of the word: larger than life, full of goodness, and charismatic leader. Opening Day ’85 was ridiculous! Game 4 was ridiculous! Game 6 was ridiculous! Thank you for teaching me what a hero is supposed to be. Rest in Peace, Kid. You will be missed!
sad sad day, what a class guy. I wore his number 8 through my playing days as a kid and looking at all the memories and stuff i collected of his as a kid just brings tears to my eyes. Thanks for the memories!!, we were never forgot you.
R.I.P GARY “THE KID” CARTER ITS A SAD DAY FOR ME AND THE REST OF THE METS FAMILY I GREW UP WATCHING HIM A KID GROWING UP IN NEW YORK IN THE 1980S MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME
On a risk, and his fathers advice, my ten-year old son sent one of his Gary Carter baseball cards and a letter off to Shea Stadium addressed to Gary asking him to autograph the card. I had forwarned him that Gary would probably be too busy to comply but my son so revered his hero that he was willng to take the chance. A few weeks later the card came back signed. Some may say that someone else signed the card. I don’t think so- neither does my son. From what I read and learned about this man…I don’t think so. That gesture of kindness will never be forgotten by my son or his Dad.
I’m pretty sure he signed it because Gary Carter was like us, one of the fans. In September 1985, my wife and I were in Montreal to see a big series with the Mets when they were in a pennant race with the Cardinals. In the airport after the game, we saw all the Mets ready to fly back to NY. Gary Carter was sitting there with that big smile of his, flipping through a big stack of baseball cards — just like … a kid.
I was a kid when I saw Gary Carter , He was so very kind to me and my father , who were waiting for an autograph. A True Gentleman, Great Person Overall, Great technique as a Cather, I am very sad to hear of His Passing. My condolences to all of His Loved Ones , He is at God’s side now , and I am sure that He will be watching his Favorite Ball Game from the bleachers in the Sky.
Thanx for ’86 and for being a Met!!!!! May your passing be for the better as you go into God’s arms and be completely healed by him as you stand next to him!!
If there really is a “Field of Dreams” the KID is playing there. His love for the game was infectious and brought much joy to this lifelong METS fan. You will be missed. Thank you for the memories R.I.P. Gary.
Thanks for all the great moments you gave Met fans. My condolences go out to the Carter family. He will be missed
Thank you for being the spirit of the greatest Met team in history! I will miss you Gary. Rest in Peace
The world lost a great man today. Thank you for all the memories. Rest in peace Kid.You will be missed.
I remember working with Gary when I was translating for Kaz. The first thing that comes to mind when I recall Gary is during Kaz’s first ever spring training in Port St. Lucie where, Gary the BP-Kaz at the plate and Gary broke Kaz’s bat on the first pitch.
Gary was a playful person and me personally enjoyed every conversation I had with him. He was a true MET, and my thoughts are with his family.
Baseball lost one of the true good guys today. Goodbye Kid, and thank you.
Gary Carter was a true all star on and off the field. He was a great ambassador for the game. He always played hard and was ready to play. When I played catcher in little league and in high school. I always tried to play with the pure joy that he had. Rest in peace.
Jackie Robinson was a NY hero. He has a highway named for him. – Gary Carter was a NY METS hero. Time to re-name the Jackie Robinson Rotunda for Gary Carter.
Hard to believe he is gone….. prayers to his family.
Wow, what a sad day for baseball, Met and Expo fans and especially for the Carter family. Gary Carter was the epitome of what a professional athlete should be…..gracious, appreciative, giving, well respected. The list could go on and on. His life was a full one and he will always be remembered as one of my all-time favorite Mets! RIP Kid
As I sit here at my computer in western PA, I am STUNNED, saddened, and broken-hearted. Gary Carter was a person who was seemingly indestructible. I lived in NYC all of the years that Gary played for the Mets. I was present at the season-opening game in 1985 when he hit that game-ending, walk-off HR at Shea. The 1986 LCS and WS were classics, of which Gary was a huge part. As a man of the same age as Gary, I am even further disturbed by the news of his passing. To his daughter Kimmy Bloemers — who wrote on the family website: “This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know.” — and to the entire Carter family, know that this man was so beloved for the MAN he was, and admired for the kind of baseball player he demonstrated. This is truly a sad day for the Carter family, MLB, the NY Mets, and the Montreal Expos. RIP Gary!
I have the same Sadness in My heart, as I am a bit younger than him, but I remember wanting to play just like Him, and Peña, as some of the best cather’s in baseball history. It makes me feel very vulnerable, He was a Quality Person, rock solid as a Ball player and an Honest and Hard Working Man.
Gary will always be my favorite athlete. He was a true role model, a class act, and a great man. He will be missed. My condolences go out to the whole Carter family.
Rest in peace Gary. A wonderful Met, a better human being.
Your the one who got us started in the 10th inning of Game 6, that’s about as clutch as it gets.
You handled the last year with typical dignity as you have your whole life. The night the Mets announced their trade for you, I called the Mets office and got my season tickets. I never regretted that decision.
As I was an 8 year old growing up in Ottawa, you’re the reason I loved the Expos and became a devoted fan of the wonderful game of baseball. Merci Kid.
My sincere condolences to the Carter family. Gary was my childhood hero, and how lucky I was to admire someone who was as great off the field as he was on it. Mets fans love our own and Gary will always be loved and remembered in Flushing. God Bless Gary and the entire Carter family.
MY HEART IS BROKEN IN EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX PIECES. GARY CARTER was my favorite player, my idol. I followed his career since 1979 with THE EXPOS and was the happiest METS FAN WHEN MY FAVORITE PLAYER WAS TRADED TO MY FAVORITE TEAM. I SAW HIM WIN A WORLD SERIES. I SAW HIM GET INDUCTED TO THE METS HALL OF FAME AT SHEA. I SAW HIM MANAGE THE LONG ISLAND DUCKS. NOW I WANT TO SEE #8 RETIRED AT CITIFEILD. GOD BLESS GARY CARTER AND HIS FAIMLY.
I loved when there was a runner rounding 3rd and the ball was on the way to home. Gary would flip that mask off and his eyes, the size of dinner plates, spoke volumes; “I’m about to eat you for dinner and you aren’t gonna score”. In the event of the helmet getting knocked off from the play at the plate, he’d nonchalantly walk over to it, mask under arm, and plop it right back on his head. He made the catcher position look easy. RIP Gary. May you rest in peace now. My prayers and condolences to your family in this difficult time.
The joy Gary brought to me as a kid watching the Mets is irreplaceable. Thank you, Gary. May you rest truly in peace and happiness. My heartfelt condolences to the Carter family.
With “The Kid”s” passing, a piece of my heart has been ripped apart. Being a Mets fan for over 30 years Gary made me proud to say I was a Mets fan during the 1980s. With that great smile, he was also tough as nails and never turned his back on any challenge from opponents and was consistent when he was put into pressure situations.
Rest in peace Gary. I envision the wings being placed upon you as you arrive in heaven!
thank you for all the greats moments le héro de ma jeunesse je n’oublierai jamais le kid