Feb
16
2012

Video: Gary Carter Reactions From The 1986 Mets

An article by 72MetsFan

A beautiful homage to Gary Carter by Joe Petruccio. (click to enlarge)

FRANK CASHEN: “The genesis of the trade was that we wanted to add a big bat to the lineup. He did that right away, but perhaps more importantly was the way he handled our young pitchers. He was the perfect guy for so many reasons.”

DAVEY JOHNSON: “Gary was a one-man scouting system. What people didn’t know was that he kept an individual book on every batter in the National League. He was the ideal catcher for our young pitching staff.”

DARRYL STRAWBERRY: “What he added to the team was character. His approach to the game was contagious. It spread to the rest of us. He helped each of us understand what it took to win. I wish I could have lived my life like Gary Carter”

RON DARLING: ”The baseball world lost one of its gladiators today, and I have lost a friend. Gary Carter was everything you wanted in a sports hero: a great talent, a great competitor, a great family man, and a great friend. To know Gary was to care deeply for him, and I am deeply saddened. All my thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandy and their children.”

DWIGHT GOODEN: “I relied on Gary for everything when I was on the mound including location, what pitch to throw and when. Even when I didn’t have my best stuff, he found a way to get me through the game. He was just a warrior on the field.”

WALLY BACKMAN: “He was like a big brother to me. I always went to him for advice. No matter what time of day it was, he always had time for you.”

BOBBY OJEDA: “We are all very saddened to hear of Gary’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. He was not only a Hall of Fame ballplayer, but also a Hall of Fame man as well. He is gone too soon for us to understand. May he rest in peace.”

TIM TEUFEL: “The baseball community has lost a Hall of Fame player and a Hall of Fame person. He was a good man and will be missed terribly.”

MOOKIE WILSON: “The one thing I remember about Gary was his smile. He loved life and loved to play the game of baseball.”

KEITH HERNANDEZ: Watch this touching and very emotional video by Keith:

Artwork by the great Joe Petruccio

About the Author: Drew Staley

On June 1, 2012 Johan Santana officially became my favorite current Met! I'm a Queens native who grew up in the shadows of Big Shea. I was a huge Ron Darling, Dave Magadan and John Olerud fan. Honored to be a part of such a great site for Mets fans. Ya Gotta Believe!

7 Comments + Add Comment

jessep February 16, 2012 at 10:20 pm

What’s amazing to me is how I log on for the first time today to see what kind of reaction Carter’s passing got, and see on the right hand side the same argumentative BS from certain people. Take a friggin day off from your crusade to act like you know everything about everything.

For people in my age bracket, Carter was one of if not your first favorite Met. You read about Whitney Houston minute after minute. She is blasting cnn right now with headlines about her life. You know what? Sorry if this isn’t PC but she didn’t deserve the gift she was given. I’m not a religious person but we’re sitting here celebrating a person who was a drug and alcohol addict. I’m not saying those folks don’t deserve a chance, hell I’ve had some in my family go through similar situations.

But to see that and then see a genuinely good person like Carter pass away from brain cancer and have the headlines still be about Whitney Houston? This world is so messed up.

I don’t know if anybody here has ever seen somebody go through brain cancer… but a girl I was close friends with in high school died in her early 20′s from brain cancer.

There was a chance for a woman like Whitney Houston. She had all the $ in the world, she could have gotten the help she needed. All the $ in the world, all the praying in the world wasn’t going to cure Gary Carter. He’s the real tragic loss this week.

And for people to log on to a Mets site today and continue THE SAME OLD ARGUMENT that happens DAY AFTER DAY is just a shame.

My 31 year old cousin passed away from cancer on Thanksgiving Day, and in her letter to her pastor prior to her passing, she wrote

“If there is one thing I would ask people to do for me, it would be to take time to celebrate life more and appreciate all the small moments and special people in your life. Do not get too caught up in the day-to-day stresses, that you forget how wonderful life is and how lucky we all are.”
- srt February 16, 2012 at 10:40 pm
  
  You know what they say…..youth is wasted on the young.
  
  I think those in our age group – those that were around for that great team from the mid 80s that included Gary Carter – realize that the older we get the more most of us shuffle our priorities in proper order.
  
  Die hard Met fans that we are, most of us realize it’s just a game.
  For all the tributes we’re reading and listening to tonight, I think Strawberry put it best. He more or less said as great a ball player as he was with that HOF career, he was an even greater man. He was what the rest of us should strive to be.
- rob February 17, 2012 at 1:00 am
  
  Great points, Jessep. I totally agree.
  
  I’m probably not P.C. either but yes, enough with Whitney Houston already!! She had a gift, a talent, and pi**ed it away. Gary had a gift, a talent, and seemed grateful for what GOD had given him.
- Kay February 17, 2012 at 7:34 am
  
  AMEN!!!!
  
  Thanks for sharing your personal story with us.
  
  RIP Gary Carter, may we all learn something from the man you are.
- Des February 17, 2012 at 8:36 am
  
  Jessep — Poignant and to the point. Thanks.
BrooklynsOwn February 17, 2012 at 12:07 am

r.i.p. gary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhALd0l9yaY
Donal February 17, 2012 at 9:43 am

A great tribute,72.

Here’s to The Kid. A fierce competitor, a great ballplayer and an outstanding human being.

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	42	30	.583	-
Phillies	35	37	.486	7.0
Nationals	34	36	.486	7.0
Mets	27	40	.403	12.5
Marlins	22	48	.314	19.0

Last updated: 06/19/2013

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