Legendary Braves Slugger Passes Away at Age 85

Braves Hall of Famer, a pioneer for Dominican MLB ballplayers, across multiple cities has died

A legendary member of the Braves has passed away / Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Braves Country lost one of its all-time legends Sunday morning. All-star slugger Rico Carty passed away at the age of 85. Carty made his mark on the Braves and all of professional baseball as one of the earliest Dominican ballplayers to make the Majors. 

Carty was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame just last year. He played alongside other Braves legends such as Hank Aaron and Eddie Matthews.

Despite battling injuries and other ailments, Carty managed to have a long career spanning from 1963 to 1979. He made his debut with the Milwaukee Braves, finishing second in National Rookie of the Year voting in 1964. He was a member of the inaugural season in Atlanta in 1966 and had two of his best seasons following the move. 

After missing the entire 1968 season battling tuberculosis, Carty slashed .342/.401/.549 with 16 home runs and 58 RBIs across 104 games. This performance earned him a 13th-place finish in MVP voting. 

The following year was without a doubt his finest. Carty won the batting title with a .366 average and represented the Braves in the all-star game. I was his lone all-star nod. He finished in 10th place in MVP voting that season. 

He missed the 1971 season with a knee injury but returned for one last season in Atlanta. 

Along with his time with the Braves, Carty spent four years with the Cleveland Indians, two seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, parts of two seasons with the Oakland Athletics and played parts of the 1973 season with the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs. 

Carty finished his career with a .299 batting average, 204 home runs, 890 RBIs and a 32.7 WAR. 

With his passing, there are now 36 living former members of the Milwaukee Braves. His death comes just a couple months after the passing of Ozzie Virgil, who was the first Dominican ballplayer. The baseball world has lost two pioneers in a short time. 

Carty remained a hero over the years in his home country and a beloved player in the history of the Braves across multiple cities.