Memorial service for Gary Carter at Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens

A memorial service for Hall of Fame baseball player Gary Carter took place Friday night at Christ Fellowship church.

Carter died at the age of 57 after losing his battle with brain cancer.

Carter was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor last May, two weeks after finishing his second season as coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Carter was an 11-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. His bottom-of-the-10th single in Game 6 of the 1986 Series helped the Mets mount a charge against the Boston Red Sox and eventually beat them.

At the memorial service on Friday night, Carter was described as having three loves: baseball, family and God.

"You could see when we would come off the road, he would always be so happy," said Darryl Strawberry. "He was going home to see his kids."

Before the service, videos of Carter's endorsement commercials and baseball highlights played above a gathering of ballplayers like the Mets' David Wright and Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench.

"He idolized me, but I feel inadequate with the things he accomplished," said Bench.

Wally Backman was one of Carter's fellow world champion 1986 Mets.

"It really is a sad day. It's the first teammate we've lost. We all loved Gary," said Backman.

So did the ballplayers Carter managed at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

His last public appearance was right before their opening day about a month ago.

The moment is seared into their memories.

"It wasn't his last opening day," said PBAU ballplayer Logan Thomas. "I'd like to think he's still preparing for a game of baseball."

Despite the fame baseball brought, members of Carter's family described a doting father.

"I will miss you every day, dad. It just feels like you're on a road trip. I will always be your kiddo," said his daughter, Christy Kearce.

And then there was his love of God.

Darryl Strawberry summed up the man who never swore, who loved his family, who was always on the right side of the law, this way:

"I know God is very proud of him, because he did it the right way," said Strawberry.

WPTV Webteam and The Associated Press contributed to this report