Rico Carty: A Great Hitter

Rico Carty was one of the best hitters I ever saw. What a pleasure it was to see him hit.

In 1969 he played in the outfield for the NL West Division champion Atlanta Braves even though he hurt his shoulder and that hampered his throwing ability.

He was in there for his bat. I recall the great Mets’ broadcaster Lindsey Nelson’s play by play on a hit to the outfield by one of the eventual world champion New York Mets’ players during the NLCS vs the Braves. “Carty can’t throw” as the run scored.

Another legendary New York broadcaster, Phil Rizzuto, after a Carty home run cut the Yankees’ lead to one run in the bottom of the 9th in Cleveland intoned, “that Carty, oh can he hit.”

High praise indeed from a man who watched fellow Yankees Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio plus rival Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox.