Joe Carter delivered the greatest moment in Toronto Blue Jays history with one swing of the bat.
It’s also one of the greatest moments in sports history, period.
The Sporting News unveiled its list of the 140 Greatest Sports Moments on Tuesday, commemorating a publication that’s been around since 1886. Carter made the cut at No. 93 for his swing that changed everything in 1993.
The right-handed slugger won the World Series for the Blue Jays with a walk-off home run that still gives fans chills.
“The names Bill Mazeroski and Joe Carter will forever be tied together in history. When, or if, they will have company is unclear. As MLB closes in on the 125th anniversary of the first World Series, however, those two men are the only players who can say they hit a walk-off home run to win the World Series.”
That’s Dan Treacy from Sporting News putting Carter’s moment in perspective.
The scenes are burned into the brains of Toronto sports fans forever. There’s the baseball flying through the air, and there’s Carter with pure joy written all over his face, hopping up the first base line and rounding the bases to a mob scene at home plate.
“Touch ’em all, Joe!” remains the iconic broadcast call that still makes the hair on your arms stand up.
Where Carter Ranks
For reference on this all-sports list, Carter comes in one spot ahead of Carl Lewis winning four gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
But Carter’s moment sits well down the list from Mazeroski’s similar heroics, which slots all the way up at No. 19.
Maybe that makes the case that Carter’s swing is underrated on the national stage. As far as the Blue Jays go though, there’s never been a bigger moment. And there probably never will be.
