Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor last May, passed away Thursday evening at age 57.

Carter, the first player inducted to the MLB Hall of Fame in a Montreal Expos uniform, was an 11-time All-star and 3-time Gold Glove winner during his illustrious Major League Baseball career. His impact on baseball is one that was felt throughout Major League Baseball, all the way to the college level at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

As a member of the 1986 World Champion New York Mets, Carter became friends with current Washington Nationals’ manager, former Mets manager and former Florida League Coach Davey Johnson. On Thursday evening, Johnson released the following statement on behalf of the Nationals:

"Today, the world of baseball lost a Hall-of-Famer and I have lost a treasured friend. Anyone lucky enough to have been part of Gary Carter's world will agree...nobody loved life in a bigger way than Gary. He seized every opportunity to savor what mattered most to him: his close-knit, loving family; meaningful, enduring friendships; an unbridled passion for baseball; and the fulfillment he felt from making a difference in his community. Gary's brave battle has ended, but his from-the-gut laughter will be heard and his vitality and spirit will be felt forever. I loved him very much, and I know he is finally at peace."

During his career, Carter hit .262 with 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs with the Expos, Mets, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He set the major league record for putouts by a catcher. In 1989 Carter was recognized for his contributions off the field when he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award.

Following his playing career Carter went into coaching and managing within the minor league ranks and independent baseball before settling in as the Sailfish head coach in October of 2009. Over the past two seasons, Carter served as the Head Coach of Palm Beach Atlantic University’s baseball team where he continued to show his passion and support for baseball. In efforts to show his continuous support for collegiate baseball, Carter was a participant in the 2010 Florida Collegiate Summer League Celebrity golf tournament.  Carter and his group finished the 2010 tournament -16, settling once again with 1^st place.