Joe Carter

Joseph Chris Carter (born March 7, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, and San Francisco Giants.

On a 2–2 count, Carter hit a three-run walk-off home run off Phillies pitcher Mitch Williams (against whom he had previously been 0–4 in his career) to win the World Series, only the second time a Series has ended with a home run (the other being in 1960, when Bill Mazeroski did it for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the New York Yankees), and the only time the home run has been hit by a player whose team was trailing in the bottom of the ninth inning in a potential championship clinching game.

Upon hitting the home run, Carter jumped up and down many times, most notably while rounding first base, where his helmet came off.

Tom Cheek, the Blue Jays' radio broadcaster, called the play: "Touch 'em all, Joe, you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life!"

He was named The Sporting News magazine's College Player of the Year in 1981.

In the 1981 MLB draft, the Chicago Cubs chose him with the second overall pick.

Carter reached the Majors in 1983 with the Cubs.

Carter was traded to the Cleveland Indians the following year, where he blossomed into a star.

Carter emerged as a prolific power hitter, hitting as many as 35 home runs in a season and regularly driving in 100 or more runs.

In 1986, Carter led the major leagues with 121 runs batted in and recorded career highs of 200 base hits and 108 runs scored.

He usually hit nearly as many doubles as he did homers, and would get respectable numbers of triples in many years too.

He was also a very good baserunner, stealing 20-30 bases a year with a high rate of success; in 1987, Carter became a member of the single-season 30–30 club for home runs/stolen bases.

After a strong 1989 season, Carter was traded by Cleveland to the San Diego Padres for prospects Sandy Alomar Jr.., Carlos Baerga, and Chris James.

Although he continued to drive in runs, he also continued to have defensive problems.

The Padres subsequently dealt him to the Toronto Blue Jays along with Roberto Alomar in exchange for star players Fred McGriff and Tony Fernández.

Carter's overall game improved dramatically in 1991, as he helped the Toronto Blue Jays win the division title and hit the game-winning single that clinched the AL East championship; he also emerged for the first time as a team leader.

Carter was also involved in the final plays of four games in which the Blue Jays clinched a championship: 1) The game-winning single to drive home Roberto Alomar and clinch the 1991 American League East division championship, 2) catching the final out at first base in the 1992 World Series, 3) catching the final out on a fly ball to right field in the 1993 American League Championship Series, and 4) the walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series.

In 1992, he helped the Jays win their first World Series championship, the first ever won by a Canadian-based team.

Carter hit two home runs and recorded the final out of the Series, taking a throw to first base from reliever Mike Timlin to nab Otis Nixon of the Atlanta Braves, who bunted.

This was the first time a World Series ended on a bunt.

Carter hit a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Blue Jays, their second consecutive championship.

Carter is one of only two players to end a World Series with a home run, the other being Bill Mazeroski.

Joe Carter attended Wichita State University, leaving after his junior year.

Carter and Edwin Encarnación are the only two Blue Jays to hit two home runs in one inning, with Carter's coming against the Baltimore Orioles in 1993 and Encarnacion's against the Houston Astros in 2013.

In 1993, the Blue Jays reached the World Series again, facing the Philadelphia Phillies.

In Game 6, with the Blue Jays leading three games to two, Carter came to bat with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Blue Jays trailing 6–5 and Rickey Henderson and Paul Molitor on base.

In 1993, while a Toronto Blue Jay, Carter set an American League record when he hit 3 home runs in a game for the fifth time in his career.

(The record was tied 10 years later by Blue Jay Carlos Delgado.)

He drove in 100 runs in a season ten times, including the 1994 year, which was cut short due to the strike that occurred 115 games into the year.

He was the first player to record 100 RBI for three different teams in three consecutive seasons.

When he represented the Blue Jays at the 1996 All-Star Game, he received boos for his home run that won the Blue Jays the 1993 World Series, as the game took place at Veterans Stadium, then the home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Carter continued to play for the Blue Jays until 1997, and led the Blue Jays in home runs and RBIs in 1994 and 1995.

During the 1997 season, he snuck an unlicensed maple wood baseball bat manufactured by Sam Bat into a game.

He became a free agent in 1998 and briefly played for the Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants before retiring.

Carter ended his career by popping out to end the game in a one-game playoff against the Chicago Cubs.

Carter was named to five All-Star teams.

In his career he hit 396 home runs and drove in 1445 runs.

From 1999 to 2000, Carter served as a color commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays on CTV Sportsnet, leaving to work for the Chicago Cubs.

From 2001 to 2002, Carter served as the color commentator, alongside play-by-play man Chip Caray, for the Chicago Cubs on WGN-TV.