Revisiting Joe Carter's 1993 World Series home run: How Blue Jays star's iconic walk-off made him a Canadian hero

Teddy Ricketson

Revisiting Joe Carter's 1993 World Series home run: How Blue Jays star's iconic walk-off made him a Canadian hero image

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Joe Carter hit 396 regular-season home runs in his career and added six more in the playoffs, but none were bigger than the walk-off to win the 1993 World Series.

The home run marked the second World Series win in Toronto Blue Jays history. The Blue Jays achieved the feat in consecutive years, 1992 and 1993. The franchise then had a 32-year drought from reaching the Fall Classic before Toronto made it there again in 2025. This just adds more lore to Carter's iconic game and series winner. 

We take a look back at Carter's iconic walk-off home run. 

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Joe Carter home run date

  • Game 6 of the 1993 World Series was played on Oct. 23, 1993 

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Joe Carter home run pitcher

Joe Carter hit the iconic blast off of left-handed closer Mitch Williams. The reliever had a 3-7 record with a 3.34 ERA during the regular season with 43 saves. In that postseason, though, Williams had a 2-2 record with a 7.88 ERA and three saves.  

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Who was on base for Joe Carter's home run?

The inning began with Mitch Williams walking Rickey Henderson. The closer then got Devon White to fly out before Paul Molitor singled. Joe Carter was up fourth in the inning and sent a line drive home run over the left field wall. 

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Joe Carter home run at-bat

Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Joe Carter came to the plate with runners on first and second with one out. He was 0-3 in the game to that point and was 0-4 in his career against Mitch Williams. The lefty closer was trying a slide step on the mound to try and keep Henderson from stealing third, and it resulted in his falling while pitching, but he caught himself every time.

Williams started Carter off with two balls. He then got the first strike of the at-bat with a pitch right down the middle that Carter watched. The reliever then threw one low, and Carter swung wildly for the second strike of the at-bat. 

On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Carter hit his home run to left field, and the rest was history.

Joe Carter home run call

Joe Carter's home run led to one of the most iconic calls in MLB history. Sportscaster Tom Cheek's line of "Touch 'em all Joe, you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life" is considered one of the biggest calls in Canadian sports history. Here's a full transcription of the call. 

Here's the pitch on the way — a swing and a belt!

Left field — way back, BLUE JAYS WIN IT!

The Blue Jays are World Series champions, as Joe Carter hits a three-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Blue Jays have repeated as World Series champions!

Touch 'em all, Joe! You'll never hit a bigger home run in your life!
 

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Joe Carter home run video

Perhaps there's no better way to revisit this momentous moment, than to watch a video of Joe Carter's iconic home run. 

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Joe Carter home run GIF

via GIPHY

1993 World Series Game 6 score

  • Blue Jays won 8-6 after being down 6-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning 

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Have there been other World Series walk-off home runs?

Yes, there have been 19 walk-off home runs in World Series history. 

YearGameBatterFinal Score
19491Tommy HeinrichYankees 1, Dodgers 0
19541Dusty RhodesGiants 5, Cleveland 2
19574Eddie MatthewsBraves 7, Yankees 5
19607Bill Mazeroski*Pirates 10, Yankees 9
19643Mickey MantleYankees 2, Cardinals 1
19756Carlton FiskRed Sox 7, Reds 6
19881Kirk GibsonDodgers 5, Athletics 4
19883Mark McGwireAthletics 2, Dodgers 1
19916Kirby PuckettTwins 4, Braves 3
19936Joe Carter*Blue Jays 8, Braves 6
19993Chad CurtisYankees 6, Braves 5
20014Derek JeterYankees 4, Diamondbacks 3
20034Alex GonzalezMarlins 4, Yankees 3
20052Scott PodesdnikWhite Sox 7, Astros 6
20116David FreeseCardinals 10, Rangers 9
20183Max MuncyDodgers 3, Red Sox 2
20233Adolis GarciaRangers 6, Diamondbacks 5
20241Freddie FreemanDodgers 6, Yankees 3
20253Freddie FreemanDodgers 6, Blue Jays 5

* indicates the walk-off home run won the World Series

How many walk-off home runs have won the World Series?

There have been just two walk-off home runs to clinch a World Series championship. In addition to Joe Carter's feat in 1993, Bill Mazeroski not only hit one in 1960, but his was the only walk-off home run in World Series Game 7 history. 

Joe Carter legacy in Canada

Joe Carter was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. In September 2006, he was awarded the "Major League Baseball Hometown Heroes Award," which is a fan-voted award for a former or current player who "best represents the legacy of his franchise's history." 

The Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays, has an area of the stadium called the "Level of Excellence" which honors former players. The names and numbers of each honoree is displayed on the facing of the 500 level. There are 11 members of the Level of Excellence, including Carter. 

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Is Joe Carter in the Hall of Fame?

Joe Carter is not in the MLB Hall of Fame.

However, he is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (2003), National College Baseball Hall of Fame (2009), Shocker Sports Hall of Fame at Wichita State University (1988), Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame (1999), Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (2004) and Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame (2008).

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