Winter Auction 2015 closing February 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2015
Whether you liked them or hated them, the World Championship 1986 Mets boasted one of the greatest pitching staffs in National League history: Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez, Bobby Ojeda and the rest of the staff racked up a massive 108 wins while boasting a 3.11 ERA. Behind every pitch was veteran backstop Gary Carter. Carter began his career with the Montreal Expos where he became the franchise's first superstar, winning the Gold Glove Award for catcher three consecutive years in a row. When the New York Mets began acquiring a stable of wild young flame-throwing pitchers, management knew they needed the most professional catcher in the National League to handle them. They sent for Carter. His smiling optimistic attitude coupled with a decade's worth of hard-earned experience made the Mets pitching virtually unstoppable in the summer of '86. Offered here are the "tools of ignorance" Gary Carter wore that magic season. His MacGregor B60 shin guards are in Mets blue with orange trim. The set shows tremendous game use with scuffs and abrasions on the shins and awesome turf and dirt marks on the knee protectors. All the adjustable straps are present. Carter has signed each knee in black Sharpie, topping off an already Hall of Fame-worthy piece. The matching MacGregor chest protector is in Mets blue and orange and shows the wear and tear accrued over a 162 game pennant winning season. The neck strap is still fastened but the waist strap is missing. The inside of the protector has a modest number "8" in black marker and the Hall of Famer has signed the front in bold black marker. Looking at these pieces of equipment doesn't fail to back all the excitement and exhilaration of that unforgettable year. Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA.