Gary Carter was an All-American quarterback in high school and a member of the National Honor Society. He signed a letter of intent to play football at UCLA, but chose baseball after being picked by the Montreal Expos in the third round of the 1972 free agent draft. Converted from an outfielder to catcher, he became the premier receiver in the game after Johnny Bench retired in the early 1980s. Known for his boyish enthusiasm, Carter was nicknamed “The Kid.” A three-time Gold Glove Award winner, he was a master at handling pitchers and balls in the dirt. Carter belted 324 home runs in his 19-season major league career.