The Topps NY Super teams baseball cards were put out in 2002, many fond memories came with the sport cards. Truly a collectors dream set, if you love NY. As a former New Yorker born in raised in Brooklyn and nephew to many uncles and cousins that routed for the hated New York Yankee fans, I was a Met. So on or about the 1969 World Series birth, I am proud to announce with only my mom being the other target in the family, I had no choice but to officially become a New York Mets fan!

I can clearly say now with the signing of Jose Reyes to the dreaded Miami Marlins it is official! I have more heartache memories of my beloved Mets then I do joyous times in flushing, Queens. The first sign of heartburn in my 11 year old body at the time came with the parting of ways with Tom Terrific Seaver, his heartfelt letter after getting traded just pushed the dagger that much further through my metropolitan, bleed orange and blue heart. If you never read it before I recommend you go out and find it. This trade was known to many reporters as the “Midnight Massacre”. The only good thing that came out of this trade was that the trader, and main reason for the trade was fired the year after. None other than Mr. Donald Grant, a Mets killer amongst the ranks.

Next heartache, came with the free agent signing by the Los Angeles Dodgers of Darryl Strawberry. I knew in the 1990’s that free agent market was wilder then say in the 1970’s when George Steinbrenner started the craze, with Catfish Hunter. But still I hoped that this crazy talk about Strawberry leaving would have subdued. I mean this was the home grown kid, with the greatest baseball name ever, and he was a Met it just couldn’t be true. I didn’t care if he wanted to team up with best friend since childhood, Eric Davis.

It’s been tough to see the passing of Gary Carter. A part of my memories of the 1986 World Series, that was already dimming, just got cloudier. It is really important to remember the things in life that brought you happiness, and try to bring them to the forefront on days when things get sad, as with the passing of the Kid, Gary Carter.

My dad always told me that fans were suckers, that we set ourselves up for heart failure as a roller coaster of emotions and heartbreak takes every fan by storm at some time or another. Never has this been more visible to me, then with my two sons this past Super bowl. One routes for the NY Giants, and the other for the New England Patriots. I was able to observe what my father always told me, heartache.

I come to terms with the passing of Gary Carter, because I believe my father is wrong. You sometimes have to put yourself out on the ledge, and take a chance that your team is going to come through this time, this time your team will win, and win big. You have to put your trust into your team, and the players that you always route for. Like I did Gary Carter. After all a huge part of the NY Mets history was riding on it. The World Series was close and we could all feel it. We just didn’t want seven games, not with that team. But hey they struggled and there was another teams force pulling the trophy away because they wanted the trophy too.

Somewhere filed in the back of our memory, I can’t believe it’s been 26 years since that World Series between the Red Sox and the Mets. Sports cards are always been a big part of my life and now I share them with my sons, but more for than just the obvious reasons as to why people collect cards, their attempt to make a quick buck here and there. I collect to assure these players that at the very least their memories will always live with me, and my collections and all whom I choose to share them with. It is the best tribute I can give Gary Carter.

In my sports card collection Gary Carter is cancer free, and he is dancing around behind the plate or taking a bat to some pitchers fast ball taking him downtown in the distant but all too clear memories of Shea Stadium. I owe him that much, for a single season he united me with my mother on one hell of a journey. After all he gave my family and me so much. Sharing collections with your family boys or girls is a healthy and important thing, Gary Carter and the 86 Mets made history and memories that year, they should live on for more than one generation of fans. Help the Gary Carter Foundation with a purchase to last a lifetime, just follow the link. Thanks for reading.