Rico Carty was popular enough to earn a spot in the All-Star Game as a write-in candidate.
Memories of Carty’s 1970 All-Star selection and his batting title from that same year resurfaced on Sunday, following the news of the former outfielder’s passing at the age of 85.
Throughout his 15-year career, Carty played for the Braves, Guardians, Cubs, Blue Jays, A’s, and Rangers. He finished second in the voting for the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award and won the NL batting title in 1970 with an impressive .366 average and a 1.037 OPS. That year, he spent much of his time in the Braves’ cleanup spot, batting directly behind Henry Aaron. Carty was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty was born on September 1, 1939, in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He caught the attention of Major League scouts while playing for the Dominican Republic in the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago. Eight teams offered him contracts, and he signed with all of them. Eventually, George Trautman, president of the Minor Leagues, awarded Carty to the Milwaukee Braves.
After spending four seasons in the minors, Carty made his Major League debut with the Braves in 1963, playing in two games at the end of the season. He stayed with the organization through 1972. From 1964 to 1971, Carty posted a 147 wRC+, ranking tied for second among MLB left fielders (minimum 400 games) with Frank Howard, behind only Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski (149).
Though Carty missed part of the 1969 season due to a sore shoulder, he was productive enough to finish 13th in the NL MVP voting that year. However, he wasn’t initially included on the All-Star ballot for the following season. Fans corrected the oversight by voting him in as a write-in candidate. According to his biography on the Society for American Baseball Research website, Carty received 552,382 votes, surpassing Pete Rose by 67,000 votes. Carty became the first-ever write-in All-Star, starting alongside Henry Aaron and Willie Mays in the National League’s outfield.
Carty finished 10th in the voting for the 1970 NL MVP Award, but his career took a setback when he fractured his left knee and suffered ligament damage in a collision with Matty Alou while playing in the Dominican Republic that December. A blood clot in the injured leg derailed his attempt to return during the second half of the 1971 season.
Having already missed the 1968 season due to tuberculosis, Carty faced further health challenges in 1972. He played in just 86 games that season before being traded to the Texas Rangers.
Throughout his career, Carty had his share of conflicts, including feuds with fans, umpires, and teammates. One notable altercation occurred during the 1967 season when a dispute between Carty and Hank Aaron escalated during a flight to Los Angeles. The fight reportedly began after Carty insulted Aaron, and punches were thrown.
Despite these tensions with Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and other Braves figures, Carty’s time with the team was still productive. His career-high 171 OPS+ in 1970 is tied with Ronald Acuña Jr. (2023) for the third-highest OPS+ ever by a Braves player in a season with at least 130 games since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. The only players ahead of them are Hank Aaron (194 in 1971, 177 in 1969). Carty remains the only left fielder in Braves history to post a 130 OPS+ or higher in at least four seasons, achieving this feat five times in his career.
