Gold Gloves, All-Star Teams, Halls of Fame and World Series Legends: Goodnight to the "Kid"

It actually breaks my heart to write this post. We all like to imagine our idols dying of old age, of natural causes. But, unfortunately, the worst is bound to affect the best of us sometimes.

Take the death of Whitney Houston this week. It was certainly an untimely death. As was Amy Winehouse's, Jimi Hendrix's, Elliot Smith's, Kurt Cobain's, Jim Morrison's, Ernest Hemingway's, Janis Joplin's, etc., etc. There are plenty of more untimely deaths we can all speak of that relate directly to our own lives. It begs an answer to the question of: What happens when our actions go to our head? (No pun intended regarding Hemingway.)



Gary, The Kid, Carter passed away yesterday from brain cancer. I almost feel like a sort of passion died with him, as well. Before the mess of steroids and HGH controversies, Carter was a fixture in the Major League Baseball's spotlight. Maybe he wasn't always there -- over his 19-year career, it only makes sense that he would fall in and out of the limelight like any other public figure -- but he certainly set a unique standard for catchers around the world. He earned Gold Gloves, a World Series with the Mets and a spot in the Hall of Fame. He earned it. And he was proud of it, as he should have been.

Embraced, despised and admired for his "swag," "swagger," "exuberance," "enthusiasm," or whatever you want to call it, Carter definitely carved his way into my heart...even though I was only a 1-year-old when he earned his MLB World Series ring with the Mets. Many of the readers may not remember Carter. He wasn't incredibly exception in skill or talent, but he was great for other reasons. Obviously, his talent and skills were worthwhile of 19 seasons in the MLB, but his "kid-like passion" for the game is what made Carter different from all the others. Sure, he was more than receptive to the cameras and post-game interviews. But, more importantly, he was more than receptive to finding a place in the MLB to play the game he loved the way he loved it.

In addition to his career in the MLB, Carter kept in touch with his love for the game. He coached and managed in the minor leagues, coached at the university level and was a broadcaster for the Marlins. Regardless of those accomplishments (adding on to his successes as a player), no one will ever forget Gary Carter's spirit and passion for the game.

And while I'll probably end up watching A League of Their Own, For Love of the Game, Field of Dreams, The Sandlot or even branch out to finally see The Natural, I'll leave you now with a few simple words:

Goodnight, Kid. I'll always look to you for inspiration when the game gets tough.