Baseball World Remembers Dominican Legend Rico Carty on His Birthday
Today, September 1, marks what would have been the 86th birthday of Dominican baseball great Rico Carty, one of the most feared hitters of his generation.
Born in 1939 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, Carty blazed a trail in Major League Baseball at a time when Dominican players were only beginning to make their mark on the sport. He debuted with the Milwaukee Braves in 1963 and quickly built a reputation as a natural hitter with both power and consistency.
Carty’s finest season came in 1970, when he captured the National League batting title with a .366 average — the highest in the majors that year. That same season, he earned a historic All-Star Game selection as a write-in candidate, a rare honor that cemented his popularity among fans.
Over a career that spanned 15 seasons, Carty played for the Braves, Rangers, Cubs, Athletics, Indians, and Blue Jays, compiling a lifetime .299 batting average, 204 home runs, and 890 RBIs. Affectionately nicknamed “Beeg Boy,” his larger-than-life personality and resilience — overcoming tuberculosis and serious injuries — left a lasting impression on the game.
Carty passed away in December 2021, but his legacy endures as one of the Dominican Republic’s early baseball pioneers and a model for generations of players who followed.
As fans and the baseball community reflect today, his birthday is a reminder of the extraordinary talent and spirit he brought to the sport.
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