Baseball legend Rico Carty, who played for the Braves in Milwaukee and Atlanta, died over the weekend at the age of 85.
Carty played for the Braves from 1963 to 1972 and won the NFL batting title in 1970 after hitting a league-best .366.
Listín Diario reported that he died in a hospital in Atlanta on Saturday evening, and the Daily Mail reported that he had been hospitalized during the past two weeks due to intestinal diseases.
“Few players in franchise history are as connected to Braves fans as Rico Carty. “A fan favorite immediately upon the club’s arrival to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966, Rico left an indelible mark on the Braves organization,” the team said in a statement. While his accomplishments on the field will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be greatly missed. It is with a heavy heart that we send our deepest condolences to his family, friends and many fans around the world.
Carty will be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2023 and made his major league debut with the ballclub in September of 1963.
He came in second place in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1964 after hitting .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs.
“One of the first pioneering Latino stars in the major leagues, Carty established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macorís, and his hometown of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favorite,” the Major League Baseball Players Association said in a statement.
Carty's 15-year major league career included time with Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas, and the Chicago Cubs before his retirement in 1979.
Carty also has the distinction of being the first Braves player to record a hit after being traded to Atlanta in a game against the Pirates on April 12, 1966.
