Some moments in time are engrained so deeply in our minds that we can remember them as if they just happened decades later. You remember where you were and who you were with and for a brief moment, you get that feeling once again that you felt that day. These are defining moments in life; moments that you know you are in the midst of something amazing that you may only see once in a lifetime. October 25, 1986 was one of those moments in my life, something that anyone who witnessed that day can vividly tell you about today.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, in Game 6 of the World Series, the Mets stood one out away from defeat and all hope seemed lost. The city of Boston believed that the curse was about to be broken and the city of New York began looking for a miracle. The next few moments would define lifetimes and all those who watched remember the drama that would unfold. It seemed as if the game was over, until Gary Carter picked up his bat.

He would start the rally that would lead the Mets to victory in Game 6 and eventually to win the World Series. He would later be enshrined in the Hall of Fame and be recognized as one of the greatest catchers to ever play the game of baseball. Through it all, Gary Carter was a man of God, letting the Lord lead him and understanding that everything in this life, including his baseball career, had been created by a purpose by God. He picked up the bat that night, not worrying about failure, but realizing that God had this day planned before he was born. It was his chance to step up to the plate for the Lord and God would use his life in many ways even after that moment. I recently caught up with Gary to talk about baseball and his faith in God.

His Life

Gary Carter was born in Culver City on April 8th, 1954 and grew up in Fullerton, California, where he starred in three sports, baseball, basketball, and football. He would lose his mother at the age of twelve to leukemia and following that traumatic experience, Gary would learn how the Lord can use anything that happens to make us stronger in our lives. He would sign a letter of intent to play football at UCLA and was drafted to play baseball by the Montreal Expos. In 1973, he attended his first training camp.

Q â€" Can you tell me your testimony? When did you come to know the Lord?

“That happened in 1973. I was at my first Big League spring training camp. I was eighteen years old, almost nineteen. I was rooming with John Boccabella in Big League spring training camp and he shared Scripture with me. He also shared a book (with me) “They Call Me Coach� by John Wooden. My main sport in high school was football and I had all kinds of scholarship offers and I ended up choosing UCLA and I had the pleasure of meeting Coach John Wooden. The book, “They Call Me Coach� was a real impact on me at that time. The scriptures that John shared with me, like John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.� were also an impact. I lost my mother at a very early age. She was only thirty-seven and I was twelve, so I felt like I was missing something in my life. Through John Boccabella, the Scriptures, and the book and everything, I asked Christ into my life. The rest of my minor league career and my major league career, I had committed my life to Christ, I took a stance for Him, and so that is basically where it all began…in 1973.�

Q â€" How did faith play a role in your baseball career?

“I would say that, in all cases, I tried to play the game in the way that God had given me the ability and the talent for. So, even though I went through some adversities and things like that, I always felt like God was in control and I whatever I did was to glorify Him. So, in my career, I was successful but at the same time, I knew where all of that was coming from. You mentioned about the dramatic comeback in Game 6 and I could have been the last out but I knew that God had a plan to use me as a testimony. I just remember standing on the podium when Bob Costas interviewed all of us and I was able to give glory and praise where it was due. I am so grateful that I had that opportunity and there was a reason behind it. I could have been a trivia question but instead I was able to start that rally for us in that dramatic comeback that we had in Game 6. All in all, Andy, I’m just very grateful for what God blessed me with. I played every game like it was my last and then I was rewarded by being enshrined in Cooperstown. I have nothing but great thoughts and feelings on my career and have no regrets or anything else.�

His Career

The game of baseball has changed in many ways since Gary Carter’s playing days. The game has become a game of power and less strategy is used than it used to be, back before the long ball became the main source of interest. While speaking with this Hall of Fame catcher, I wanted to understand more about the game when he played as well as his thoughts about the game today.

Q - Who was your favorite pitcher to catch?

“Dwight Gooden.�

Q â€" What is the biggest difference in baseball today since the time that you played?

“(laughing) Money. Wouldn’t you say that that’s the greatest influence of it all? When I played, money was not the issue. I mean, obviously, it was the principle; it’s what gave us our livelihood but all in all, when you think about it, we just played because we loved the game. We respected the game and never thought anything differently. I think, today, money has been a major factor. You can be a mediocre player and still make three and a half, four million dollars a year.�

Q - To me, it seems like baseball has lost some of its’ purity and that the game is all about the long ball. Some of the strategy has gone out the window, don’t you think?

“That’s why I think the steroids issue has become as big as it has because the home run ball is the big thing. If you hit a lot of home runs, you’re rewarded with a big contract. Since they weren’t testing, guys took the luxury of juicing themselves up and began hitting these gigantic, monstrous home runs. That’s what people like to see.�

Q - What was the highlight of your career? Was it the 1986 Mets?

“No question about it, Andy; no question about it. I mean, when you play a team sport and you accomplish a lot of things, like I was fortunate enough to reach milestones, play in All-Star games, and awards were given to me, but the ultimate is winning the World Series. I have that World Series ring, which I’m most proud of. I only played in one, but I will always remember it as a great impact on my life and it will be a great memory for the rest of my life.�

Gary concluded his playing career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1991. He hit 324 home runs and had 1225 career RBI. He played in eleven All-Star games and was voted twice as the Most Valuable Player of those games. He won the World Series in 1986 as a member of the New York Mets and in 2003, Gary Carter was enshrined into the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.

His Advice

Gary has traveled all over and has had the chance to live a life that most of us can only dream about living. He has reached the pinnacle of the world of baseball and through it all, remained faithful and humble in the realization that it was not of his own strength.

Q â€" What do you think is the biggest problem facing Christian men today?

“I think the biggest thing, probably, are the temptations. I think the scrutiny that most Christians are under as far as, in this, everyone is going to try to look for a fault in someone. If someone takes a stance, and you’re proclaiming to be a Christian, the other outside people that are not are simply going to look at that person (the Christian) and say, “Well, he can’t do any wrong� and if you do, that’s where the scrutiny comes in. I think that’s the biggest question mark that is placed upon Christians. They question the purity of it. In Romans, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The mistakes that are made, you learn from them and you ask for forgiveness and that’s the grace that God gives us and then you move on. Non-Christians are going to scrutinize anybody who is a Christian and believes in their faith and that’s the biggest question mark against all Christians. Others outside are going to try to see somebody fall or hope that someone falls.�

Q â€" What is your favorite Bible passage and why?

“I mentioned it to you earlier; John 14:6. I lost my mom at an early age. I was the only one not allowed to go to the hospital the day that she passed and I felt like there was missing, and now having Christ in my heart and knowing that passage, as well as Christ on a personal basis as I do now, one day I hopefully get to see her again. That has had a big impact on my life. Everybody knows John 3:16 and there’s so many others. I have all kinds of different passages that were impacts but John 14:6 was the greatest.�

I asked Gary about feeling the closeness of God in his life and if there was any specific time that stood out to him. He told me that through it all, he could feel the hand of God in his life. In each of his sixteen surgeries, during his induction to the Hall of Fame, as he stood at the plate in the 10th inning of the 1986 World Series, after his mother’s death, and in a car accident that he was involved in while playing in Montreal, he could feel God there.

He remains busy today with the Gary Carter foundation and many other responsibilities that he has, but in all things, even to this day, he gives God the praise for all that he has been able to experience. We can learn from Gary that life holds opportunities that God has placed there for us to take advantage of. Like Gary did in the 10th inning, we have to step up to the plate get people to rally around God the Father through the example of our lives.

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