Gary Carter diagnosed with brain tumors

Published - May 21 2011 05:55PM EST


(AP Photo/Ed Bailey, File)
FILE - In this 1988 file photo, New York Mets catcher Gary Carter poses in uniform. Hall-of-Famer Carter says doctors discovered four ''very small'' brain tumors after he had an MRI on Friday, May 20, 2011, in Florida.

NEW YORK — Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter says doctors discovered four "very small" brain tumors after he had an MRI on Friday in Florida. The 57-year-old Carter said the tumors were "very small" and he expects to learn more about his diagnosis when he is examined again on Thursday at Duke Medical Center.

"My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers," Carter said in a release issued by the New York Mets and baseball's Hall of Fame on Saturday. "We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition."

Carter hit .262 with 324 homers and 1,225 RBIs in 19 seasons in the majors. The 11-time All-Star played his last game with the Montreal Expos in 1992 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Carter is perhaps best known for helping the Mets win the World Series in 1986. He had 24 homers and 105 RBIs that year, then drove in 11 runs in the postseason.

"On behalf of the Mets organization, our thoughts and prayers are with Gary, Sandy and the entire Carter family," said Jeff Wilpon, the club's chief operation officer.

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Updated: May 21, 2011, 5:27 PM ET
Gary Carter has multiple brain tumors

ESPNNewYork.com

Hall of Famer and former New York Mets catcher Gary Carter has been diagnosed Saturday with four small brain tumors.

"Earlier today, I learned that four very small tumors have been found on my brain, following an MRI on Friday at a West Palm Beach facility," Carter said in a statement. "I am scheduled to be examined further Thursday at Duke Medical Center, and we will learn more at that time about my diagnosis.


AP Photo/John Dunn
Hall of Famer Gary Carter will have multiple brain tumors examined Thursday at Duke Medical Center.

"My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition."

The New York Daily News first reported the diagnosis.

According to the Daily News, a source close to Carter, 57, said the former catcher had been complaining of headaches and forgetfulness recently.

The Daily News had reported earlier Saturday that Carter would undergo surgery in "the next day or so" at Duke University Hospital.

Carter hit .262 with 324 homers and 1,225 RBIs in 19 seasons in the majors with the Mets, Montreal Expos, Giants and Dodgers. The 11-time All-Star played his last game with the Expos in 1992 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Carter is perhaps best known for helping the Mets win the World Series in 1986. He had 24 homers and 105 RBIs that year, then drove in 11 runs in the postseason.

"On behalf of the Mets organization, our thoughts and prayers are with Gary, Sandy and the entire Carter family," said Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.

He has been managing at Palm Beach Atlantic College this past year, near his home in Palm Beach, Fla.

"I really just found out about this today," former teammate Mookie Wilson said. "[My wife] Rosa and myself send our thoughts and prayers to Gary, Sandy and the entire Carter family."

Information from ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Updated: May 28, 2011, 12:30 AM ET
Gary Carter brain tumor likely malignant

By Mike Mazzeo
Special to ESPNNewYork.com

NEW YORK -- A tumor on former New York Mets Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter's brain "appears to be malignant," according to doctors at Duke University.

"Following a thorough examination and assessment of Gary Carter, biopsies were performed (Friday) morning from a tumor located in Mr. Carter's brain," Dr. Allan H. Friedman and Dr. Henry S. Friedman, co-deputy directors of The Preston Robert Tisch Brian Tumor Center at Duke, said in a statement. "The preliminary results are that his tumor appears to be malignant. Once the pathology report is available, which will take several days, we will discuss treatment options with Mr. Carter and his family.

"In the meantime, Mr. Carter is in excellent spirits and good physical condition. He is resting comfortably, surrounded by his family. We hope that his friends and fans will continue to pray for Mr. Carter and his family during this time."

The 57-year-old Carter, who just completed his second season as Palm Beach Atlantic University's baseball coach, announced last Saturday that an MRI had revealed four small tumors on his brain. The Duke Medicine release says the biopsies were performed on a single tumor. Carter had been complaining of headaches and forgetfulness before his diagnosis.

After being diagnosed, Carter said, "My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers. We ask you to please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition."

Carter, an 11-time All-Star, was inducted into Cooperstown in 2003 after retiring in 1992 with the Montreal Expos. He finished his 19-year career with a .262 average, 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs.

The effervescent Carter, nicknamed "Kid," is perhaps best known for helping the Mets win the 1986 World Series. He had 24 homers and 105 RBIs that year, then drove in 11 runs in the postseason.

Carter was Mets catcher Josh Thole's first minor league manager with the Gulf Coast Mets in 2005.

"It's sad. I just heard about it. He's a great guy. That's the hardest part of it," Thole said Friday night. "That man doesn't deserve this at all. But he's a tough guy, just from knowing him the little that I knew him, and he's gonna fight. He's gonna fight. To play for him was great, and you just wish he had a chance one day to manage in the big leagues.

"He told me what it was like. He was teaching you how to be a baseball player. How to carry yourself. If you were late for something, you were gonna pay for it. And you never showed up late again. He was that type of guy."

Thole said Carter was the type of manager that wanted his younger players to understand how to win -- even before they understood how to play the game itself.

"He always told us, 'I'm gonna teach you guys how to win first. And then development will take place. If I teach you how to win, everybody's gonna get their hits, everybody's gonna know how to bunt the baseball. Everybody's gonna know how to move guys over,'" Thole said. "And I guess, in the minor leagues you don't want that. He'd pinch-hit guys. He'd pinch-hit a prospect, but the prospect was struggling. He wanted to win.

"He's gonna fight this thing tooth and nails, and knowing him, nothing will get to him."

Mets first base coach Mookie Wilson was Carter's teammate for several years, including the 1986 World Series championship season.

"We're playing for him and his family," Wilson said Friday night. "And we're praying for the best."

Wilson had been in text communication with Carter through a mutual friend.

"Gary was one of the happiest guys in the world," Wilson said. "That's why we called him 'The Kid.' I saw him a couple months ago and he was in good spirits and good health, and then to find this out is shocking because we're the same age and it could happen to any of us. We just have to hope for the best, that's all.

"We know that he's a competitor, and I think that gives him an edge. He's gonna go in it with the intent of beating it and I think that's the only way for anyone to do it, and Gary, that's the way he is."

Wilson recalled how emotional of a player Carter was -- sometimes too emotional for some.

"He would just hug guys all the time. He was a very emotional type of player. I think sometimes the guys didn't want him hugging them as much as he did but, that's just the way Gary was," Wilson said. "He was emotional about the game and he really cared about his teammates. The opposing team didn't like him because of the energy he brought. I know, I was on the opposing team at one point. But it was nothing personal. But everybody wanted him on their team, that's just the relationship we developed over the years."

Earlier this week -- prior to the news that Carter's tumors are likely cancerous -- former Mets teammate David Cone expressed concern for his former catcher.

"Both he and Sandy Carter, his wife, are just wonderful people, very involved in a lot of charities around the country," Cone told ESPN researcher Mark Simon. "They've done a lot of great work that helps a lot of people.

"My heart really goes out to Gary and I'm pulling for him to come through this. I know he's strong and his family is strong and that he will be OK. Certainly we're worried about him and we certainly wish him the best."

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