Gary Carter: Hall of Famer's Legacy Extends Far Beyond MLB

As we celebrate the career and life of Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter following his untimely death on Thursday, it is important to remember that he was more than just a baseball player to so many people. 

Obviously, his 19-year Major League Baseball career will be the topic of much conversation today. He was one of the greatest catchers in the history of the sport.

He was a true two-way player in an era when catchers were not asked to do much offensively in order to keep their starting job. His nine-year peak from 1977-1985 is as good as any catcher in recent memory.

His total Wins Above Replacement during that time was an astounding 56.6. For comparison's sake, Ivan Rodriguez's best nine-year stretch produced a WAR of 48.6. 

But there was a lot more to Carter than just his performance on the field. He had an infectious personality that rubbed off on everyone around him. He made sure that everyone knew who he was, but he was never boisterous about it. He didn't go out seeking attention like a lot of great athletes will do. 

David Waldstein of the New York Times wrote a touching piece about Carter shortly after his death yesterday. The first quote he used came from Carter's former teammate with the Mets, Tim Teufel, who was in attendance at one of Carter's last public speeches during his charity golf tournament. 

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For me, that was almost like his Lou Gehrig speech. He said he felt like the luckiest guy in the room. His wife and his kids were there, and he just said how thankful he was for everything he had. Gary has great faith, and he wasn’t blaming God or anyone.

"

Everything that you will read about Carter today is going to sound like that. He was a different kind of person, but at the same time he was very down to earth. 

All of the kindness and warm thoughts that will be said about Carter today are not just because he is gone. He was a good family man, friend and as good as he was on the field, he was an even better person off it. 

"The Kid" will be greatly missed because of who he was as a person, even more than as a great baseball player. 

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