Rico Carty

Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty (September 1, 1939 – November 23, 2024) was a Dominican professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1963 to 1979, most prominently as a member of the Atlanta Braves where he helped the franchise win its first National League (NL) Western Division title in . Carty was the National League batting champion and, became the first write-in candidate in MLB history to be elected as an All-Star starter in the 1970 All-Star Game. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers.

Carty was one of the earliest Dominicans to play in the major leagues, giving himself the nickname "Beeg Boy". He maintained a .300 career batting average until a sub par final season dropped his average to .299. Carty's career was marked by battles with injuries, illnesses (tuberculosis) and teammates. In 1996, Carty was inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame as part of their inaugural class, and in 2023 he was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame.

Early life Carty was born on September 1, 1939 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, where his father worked in a sugar mill. One of 16 children, he followed his uncles into the sport of boxing at the age of 15. His impressive hitting performance during the Pan American Games attracted contract offers from eight major-league teams and four Dominican League clubs.

In 1962, he began to show his talent for hitting a baseball while playing for the Class-B Yakima Braves. He was named to the year-end league All-Star team and was the Topps Class-B All-Star catcher. He never left the batter's box and stood firmly throughout the at-bat while glaring menacingly at the opposing pitcher. In his first season as an outfielder, he produced a .327 batting average along with 27 home runs, and 100 runs batted in (RBI) while playing for the Austin Senators of the Texas League. Braves manager Bobby Bragan tried to convert Carty into a first baseman during the 1965 season however, he injured his back while learning to play the new position. Carty holds the distinction of being the first Braves player to record a hit after the franchise moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta in a game against the Pirates on April 12, 1966. He finished third behind Matty and Felipe Alou in the 1966 National League Batting Championship with a .326 batting average and quickly became a favorite in Atlanta where the left-field stands became known as “Carty’s Corner". Carty allegedly directed a racial slur toward Aaron, resulting in a fistfight where teammates had to separate them. He finished 13th in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting.

Carty had the best season of his career In 1970, hitting 25 home runs with 101 RBI and won the National League batting championship with a .366 batting average, the highest average in the major leagues since Ted Williams recorded a .388 batting average in . Despite not appearing on the All-Star ballot, he became the first write-in candidate in MLB history to be elected as an All-Star starting player, playing alongside Hank Aaron and Willie Mays in the outfield for the National League team in the 1970 All-Star Game. It would be the only All-Star appearance of Carty's career. On May 31, Carty hit 3 home runs against the Phillies, going 4-for-4 with six RBIs in a 9–1 rout of the Phillies.

However, In the midst of his best season, Carty was involved in another physical altercation with a teammate on August 19, 1970.

Later Career Texas Rangers manager Whitey Herzog expected Carty to fill the role of the newly adopted designated hitter position, but after hitting for only a .203 batting average he lost his place in the lineup. Carty and Herzog almost got into a fistfight in June after Carty alleged that Herzog did not back him in a dispute with an umpire. Carty's career was rejuvenated in Cleveland, posting a .308 batting average with 64 RBIs in the 1975 season and improving to a .310 batting average while leading the team with 83 RBIs in 1976. His time with the Blue Jays lasted five months before he was traded to the Oakland Athletics for Willie Horton and Phil Huffman on August 15, 1978. At the age of 39, he had his last productive season, hitting for a .282 average with 31 home runs and 99 RBIs between the two teams.

Humanitarianism One of the early major leaguers out of the baseball-rich Dominican Republic, Carty was committed to helping the developing nation.

Death Carty died in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 23, 2024, at the age of 85.

Honors In 1996, Carty was inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame as part of their inaugural class.

Carty was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame on August 19, 2023. Notably, the Braves delayed Carty's induction until after the death of Hank Aaron on January 22, 2021, out of respect for the revered status Aaron held within the Braves organization.