Joe Carter wanted new Blue Jays World Series hero

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Blue Jays legend Joe Carter was ready for another “touch 'em all, Joe” moment.

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Alas. The baseball gods had other plans.

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“I was ready to give up my crown, I really was,” Carter told MLB Network's Harold Reynolds and Matt Vasgersian during an interview that aired before the start of baseball's general managers' meetings in Las Vegas.

“I was ready to give it up. I held it for 32 years. Damn, that was so close,” Carter said, measuring the inch with his fingers.

Carter, of course, cemented his place in history by scoring the goal. walk-off home run, October 23, 1993at what was then called the SkyDome to give the Blue Jays their second straight World Series title.

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The epic blast came off the field from Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams and was cemented in Blue Jays history by late Jays announcer Tom Chick's memorable call: “Touch 'em all, Joe. You'll never hit a bigger home run in your life.”

A new Carter-style moment never happened.

Carter said he was ready to let the new Blue Jay get his chance earlier this month, but that moment never came.

The Jays returned to Toronto with a 3–2 lead in the World Series before the Los Angeles Dodgers forced a Game 7. Toronto led 4–3 in the game and needed just two outs to secure the franchise's first World Series crown in 32 years, but the Dodgers tied the game and continued win the game and series to secure their second title in a row.

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Carter was ideally suited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in the second game of the Fall Classic in Toronto a few weeks ago. He was wearing a No. 29 Jays jersey. when he threw from the mound to Bo Bichette, who bounced back from injury to play in the World Series and is one of the most coveted free agents on the market this offseason.

“I'll tell you what, this young man played in the World Series and the way he performed, him and George Springer, they're old school guys,” Carter said during an interview with MLB Network. “A lot of young guys don’t come back and play like we used to.”

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Legendary draw

While Carter is a five-time MLB All-Star, a two-time World Series winner and is recognized as a member of the Blue Jays' skill level, he is also known for his fun-loving personality, which included a couple of practical jokes during his long playing career. One of the pranks most famous to Blue Jays fans involved Carter driving onto the playing field in rookie Derek Bell's Jeep as part of a fake car giveaway orchestrated by Carter.

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“We just took on the Tigers in 1992. He has this Jeep. The Jeep probably cost about $10,000, but the sound system was about 50 grand. So I had an idea,” said Carter, now 65.

The hilarious moment sees Carter drive onto the field in Bell's Jeep as part of a mock prank, while Bell looks on in utter shock and disbelief.

“The look on Derek Bell's face is priceless. He's like, 'What?' I had to tell him it was Operation Shutdown,” Carter told the MLB Network host with a laugh. “You need to have some fun.”

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