FANTASY FURNACE

Gary Carter died after losing his nine month battle with brain cancer…

This week we said goodbye to "The Kid"; gone much too soon at age 57. Photo: Larry C. Morris/The New York Times

Gary Carter, who entered the Hall of Fame as a Montreal Expo but who most famously helped propel the Mets to their dramatic 1986 World Series championship, died Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. He was 57. The baseball world as well as the sports world was saddened at the loss of a sports legend, a Christian, a charitable man, and a player who was a warrior on the field; he was the ‘ultimate competitor’.

Some of Gary Carter’s accomplishments during his stellar 19 year career include:

11 time All-Star; 3 time Gold Glove winner; 2 time All-Star MVP; Inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2003; Finished career with 324 HRs, 1225 RBIs and a .262 batting average; Played in 4 All-Star games in 5 seasons with the Mets.

Comments by ex-teammate, and current manager at Triple-A Buffalo, Wally Backman  summarized the make up and the character that was Gary Carter: “If you could mold yourself after one person, both as an individual and a athlete, it should be Gary Carter”

“Gary Carter was everything you wanted in a sports hero: a great talent, a great competitor, a great family man, and a great friend.”

We will always remember his hustle and overwhelming enthusiasm he had for the game he loved. In particular we won’t forget the clutch hit in game six of the 1986 World Series vs the Boston Red Sox with two outs, bottom of the 10th, none on, and the Sox up 5-3. Carter hit a single that dropped in front of outfielder Jim Rice. It started the rally that culminated in the infamous Bill Buckner error at first base, and the rest, as they say is history…

Gary Carter, right, celebrates the New York Mets' 1986 World Series title with Ray Knight. Carter, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in May, died Thursday. He was 57. (Associated Press file photo)

One final note: Carter was the latest major league baseball player to die of brain cancer. Yankees outfielder Bobby Murcer died at age 62 in 2008, Kansas City relief pitcher Dan Quisenberry died at age 45, and former Met reliever Tug McGraw all succumbed to brain cancer. And there were two managers and former players, Dick Howser and Johnny Oates that also died from this fatal disease.