Another Special Person

The news this week is all about the death of Whitney Houston, a remarkably talented singer whose passing at a young age may be due to her battles with addiction. You can feel sympathy or you can feel that her own irresponsibility was to blame, but neither viewpoint affects the sadness of a death coming too early.

Somewhat lost in the outsized media attention being focused on Houston is the passing later in the week of Gary Carter, also at a too-young age, due to brain cancer.

With two outs in the bottom of the 10th of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, Carter came to bat with no one on base and the Mets trailing the Boston Red Sox 5-3, and three games to two.

Carter hit a single that gave the Mets a ray of hope. Then Kevin Mitchell singled. Ray Knight singled to score Carter.  The Red Sox's Bob Stanley wild-pitched Mitchell across the plate to tie the score and Mookie Wilson hit his fateful roller that went through Bill Buckner’s legs.

The Mets won the game and the Mets won the series.

But Gary Carter is remembered for much more than that one amazin' game.  He was not just a skilled and talented baseball player. He was an enthusiastic participant. Fans loved him. With good reason.