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The Gamer : An 11-Time All-Star's Inside Story of the Pain, Grit, Guts, and Glory of Life in the Majors
The All-Star catcher for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets looks back on his eighteen-year major league career and shares his impressions of teammates and opponents
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 5, 2011
Carter seems like a self-righteous, narrow-minded ass. If you love listening to proselytizing catchers whine and cry for 300 pages about how they never received the respect they deserved, pick up this book at your local dump.
February 17, 2025
I enjoyed living in baseball past and reading the travels and experiences of a player I grew up watching. If you're looking for old Gary Carter Expos and Mets stories from the 1970s and 1980s, you'll enjoy the book. I also enjoyed hearing it from the man himself and understanding his background. How the death of his mother affected him at age 12 and beyond and how his older brother was also a phenom athlete who played the outfield for USC and in the minors.
Gary himself was a three-sport high school athlete who'd intended to play quarterback at UCLA and hopefully the NFL with baseball just his #2 until a knee injury caused him to miss most of his senior year of football. His baseball skills took off, the Expos took him in the third round, and Carter ended up turning down the football scholarship to UCLA.
I didn't always enjoy Carter's attitudes in his autobio; everything seemed to be everybody else's fault and he never took responsibility for much. I remember many of the events and days that he recalls and he definitely twists them in his favor. At the end of his career, for example, his skills were greatly diminished. He was not nearly the received or hitter he was in his prime and baserunners could run all over him. He was lucky to still be in MLB. Carter's name and his winning experience were what got him backup jobs with the Dodgers and Giants, but he couldn't understand why he wasn't starting and why his ego wasn't catered to. He is also oblivious to why comments and actions he made offended others.
He is also over-the-top on his religion. I understand it's a big part of his life, but it seemed to be the default answer and defense to everything.
The book was written in 1993 just as Carter retired so there isn't anything about the next seventeen years of his life during some of which he worked as the coach of Palm Beach Atlantic and then, quite sadly, died of cancer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (I live in the area and saw him a few times in the later days around town.) Carter is buried in nearby Tequesta.
Recommended for like-minded readers and baseball fans.
Gary himself was a three-sport high school athlete who'd intended to play quarterback at UCLA and hopefully the NFL with baseball just his #2 until a knee injury caused him to miss most of his senior year of football. His baseball skills took off, the Expos took him in the third round, and Carter ended up turning down the football scholarship to UCLA.
I didn't always enjoy Carter's attitudes in his autobio; everything seemed to be everybody else's fault and he never took responsibility for much. I remember many of the events and days that he recalls and he definitely twists them in his favor. At the end of his career, for example, his skills were greatly diminished. He was not nearly the received or hitter he was in his prime and baserunners could run all over him. He was lucky to still be in MLB. Carter's name and his winning experience were what got him backup jobs with the Dodgers and Giants, but he couldn't understand why he wasn't starting and why his ego wasn't catered to. He is also oblivious to why comments and actions he made offended others.
He is also over-the-top on his religion. I understand it's a big part of his life, but it seemed to be the default answer and defense to everything.
The book was written in 1993 just as Carter retired so there isn't anything about the next seventeen years of his life during some of which he worked as the coach of Palm Beach Atlantic and then, quite sadly, died of cancer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (I live in the area and saw him a few times in the later days around town.) Carter is buried in nearby Tequesta.
Recommended for like-minded readers and baseball fans.
June 30, 2020
I liked and respected Gary Carter as a player and this book reinforced that. It’s just a little heavy on The NaN Upstairs and on Carter’s emotions, but that’s who The Kid was. Would’ve liked more remembrances from the Montreal days. Good quick read for a die hard baseball fan.
April 24, 2021
This is a pretty standard baseball memoir, but a couple of things stand out for me.
I've heard Gary Carter described in 2 personalities - the Kid, and Mr. I-Me. Both are on display in this book. An important lesson does pop out of this book - if you are frustrated with the last few years of your career, wait until you are at peace before writing a book. Carter had a HOF career and served with Carlton Fisk, as the bridge between catching greats Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez, but a large portion of this book is his gripes with the last few years of his career - the Mets decision not to renew his career, not enough at bats with either the Dodgers or Giants. The Dodgers part is especially tough as his frustration with Tommy Lasorda boils over into the books.
This book will likely be most interesting to fans of 1980s baseball, Expos fans, and Mets fans - Carter viewed the 1986 WS run as one of his proudest moments.
I've heard Gary Carter described in 2 personalities - the Kid, and Mr. I-Me. Both are on display in this book. An important lesson does pop out of this book - if you are frustrated with the last few years of your career, wait until you are at peace before writing a book. Carter had a HOF career and served with Carlton Fisk, as the bridge between catching greats Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez, but a large portion of this book is his gripes with the last few years of his career - the Mets decision not to renew his career, not enough at bats with either the Dodgers or Giants. The Dodgers part is especially tough as his frustration with Tommy Lasorda boils over into the books.
This book will likely be most interesting to fans of 1980s baseball, Expos fans, and Mets fans - Carter viewed the 1986 WS run as one of his proudest moments.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews