One Hundred Ways to Honor Gary Carter Without Retiring the Number 8

[Edgy MD]

Actually, I don't have a hundred suggestions, but only 10.  I'm sure I could have come up with a hundred suggestions, but it would have taken me a day or two, and I have to be honest — the ideas would start to get really dodgy after #30.

It should go without saying, but any one of these initiatives would be a terrific honor, and we don't need to go overboard and do a bunch of them or anything.

1. Name the Florida Complex League Team THE KIDS in his honor*.
    
2. Name the Citi Field bullpen after him.  His name would be invoked every home game.
    
3. Name the catcher's part of the clubhouse after him.  Players who never saw him play would learn of his legacy into perpetuity.
    
4. Make a substantial donation to The Gary Carter Foundation, which appears to be flagging in recent years.  Better yet, make a small-but-meaningful donation every time a Mets catcher hits a home run, continuing to promote the foundation and the player's legacy, and ask that a Mets alum sit on their board into perpetuity.
    
5. Start their own scholarship fund in his name.  Use it to finance education for players who passed on college athletic scholarships for pro ball but still want to matriculate in the offseason, or after their pro careers fizzle out in the minors.
    
6. Re-Name Kiddie Field in his honor.
    
7. Name a part of the concourse in his honor.
    
8. Rename the Spring Training/St. Lucie Mets stadium from Clover Park to Gary Carter Field at Clover Park.
    
9. Rename the whole Spring Training facility after him.  Or just a back field renamed for him keeps his memory alive and provides nostalgic joy to the old guys and retirees visiting the complex.  A chance to tell the grandkids about this curly-headed figure who could walk on water.
    
10. Name the annual award for Outstanding Catcher in the Mets Minor League system after him.
     

Get the Carter family on board with one of these, and ask that they have your back when the number 8 is reissued and some lovely but misguided fogie (cough-Howie-cough) tries to start a populist movement against it.  Or simply make an announcement alongside the announcement of one of the honors above that, while the Mets organization clearly has deep respect for Gary Carter and the Carter family, the number is officially back in circulation.

Or, you know, none of these, but please mindfully end the retired-but-not-retired situation, and end it NOW!!!
________________________

* The two DSL teams should be renamed in honor of Edgardo Alfonzo and Armando Benitez, as well.

[seawolf17]

I am a million percent on board with this.

[Centerfield]

If Gary were alive today and had an ounce of humility and self awareness, he would have been the first to tell you he doesn’t deserve to have his number retired. 
 

Unfortunately Gary had neither, and probably would have said “yeah it would be GREAT to have my number retired” or something like that. 
 

is he already in the Mets HOF?  If so that’s plenty. 

[DocTee]

Fantastic.

 

1, 4 ,6,and 10 are no-brainers and should be done immediately. 

[metsmarathon]

I particularly love #4 but would make a small change to it. 
 

-> every time a Mets catcher drives in a run, $800 to the foundation.  Yeah Carter had pop, but I think of him as more of a run producer and this creates some separation from the preexisting home run donations. 

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Nice job, @metsmarathon

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think 4 is the best choice. Numbers 7, 8, and 9 are too excessive. 

[whippoorwill]

I like 4 as well. He died of brain cancer, correct?  So did my sister. I didn’t even remember his foundation 

[Benjamin Grimm]

I didn't either. According to the link in Edgy's post:

Quote

Gary Carter Foundation, located in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, is a not-for-profit organization with a philanthropic goal. The mission of the Charity is to benefit the Palm Beach County area and the general public through its work. The Charity accepts donations from the public and offers volunteering options.

 

[MFS62]

2 hours ago, Centerfield said:

If Gary were alive today and had an ounce of humility and self awareness, he would have been the first to tell you he doesn’t deserve to have his number retired. 
 

Unfortunately Gary had neither, and probably would have said “yeah it would be GREAT to have my number retired” or something like that. 
 

is he already in the Mets HOF?  If so that’s plenty. 

I agree, but I wouldn't mind #s 5 - the continuing education scholarship fund.

Later

[The Hot Corner]

11 hours ago, Centerfield said:

Iis he already in the Mets HOF?  If so that’s plenty. 

I believe he was inducted into the NY Mets Hall of Fame a season or two prior to his being elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  He also in the Expos Hall of Fame and the Expos retired his number 8.

[The Hot Corner]

If the Mets were to further honor Carter, I believe option #4, #5, or #10 are the best options.  Any one of them should be enough of a gesture to honor his legacy.

[Edgy MD]

Sure the Mets Hall is plenty, but I'm trying to find a way to satisfactorily compromise with those who want more, and so shut down this unofficial retirement, which becomes more official every year.

And I'm trying to hopefully shake up the lazy mindset that (a) number retirement is defining way to honor an honorable person, and (b) to not so honor an honorable figure is somehow an insult.  It's not.

[whippoorwill]

Can I just ask…why all the hate for him?

That is a serious question 

[Frayed Knot]

It's not hate! It's merely saying that a guy who had just two good seasons as a Met and played 3/4 of his career elsewhere falls short of qualifying  for what should be the club's ultimate honor of number retirement.  

AND ... it's an argument against having his #8 stuck in this nether world where the number is neither retired nor in circulation.

 

 

Also, I think your question, Coobs, can be part of the problem as well.  Too often, these days, it seems an argument against someone having a number retired or for Not inducting one into the Hall of Fame gets painted as if it is hate, or at least disrespect. No, it's just a value judgement.

[whippoorwill]

Got it. Personally, I think retiring numbers is dumb, period. 

[Frayed Knot]

3 minutes ago, whippoorwill said:

Got it. Personally, I think retiring numbers is dumb, period. 

Hater!!!!

 

j/k

[Edgy MD]

1 hour ago, whippoorwill said:

Can I just ask…why all the hate for him?

That is a serious question 

I listed TEN lovely potential honors for him!

TEN!