Watch CBS News

Montreal Canadiens Pay Tribute To Gary Carter With No. 8 Jerseys

MONTREAL (WFAN/AP) — In a town where the Mets ruled in the mid-'80s, Gary Carter was larger than life.

It's easy to forget another city also lost an icon last week.

Carter, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame with a Montreal Expos cap on his plaque, died of brain cancer Thursday at age 57. The Canadiens honored the catcher -- nicknamed "Kid" — with a five-minute video set to The Eagles' "New Kid in Town" before a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.

Canadiens players also sported No. 8 Carter jerseys during warmups and had a sticker with his number on their helmets.

Youppi, the Expos mascot adopted by the Canadiens on Sept. 16, 2005, after the baseball team left for Washington, also paid tribute by wearing an old-school Expos jersey and cap for the national anthems.

Youppi later returned to his hockey jersey featuring a No. 8 patch, while still wearing the baseball cap.

It made for a special night for Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, who rooted for Carter as a kid.

"Part of me growing up in Montreal is me watching him play baseball," Brodeur said. "I got to meet him a few times through my dad because he was the Expos' photographer. For us, he was a part of our family.

"He was really a gentleman, a nice guy. You could just look at his face and the way he conducted himself and tell he was a class act."

Carter was an 11-time All-Star, playing most of his career with Montreal and the Mets.

A memorial service for Carter's family and friends will be held Friday night in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

What was your favorite memory of Carter? Let us know in the comments below...

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.