Yet the man who lived out every boy's dream by going deep in the bottom of the ninth to clinch a crown feels his shot doesn't get its due in the United States.

Although Carter's memorable blast was just the second homer to decide a World Series - Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 drive against the Yankees in 1960 was the first - he feels its place in the game is too often diminished.

"If you look at the laurels of all the Baseball historians and the way they rank things, they always put Kirk Gibson's home run that was Game 1 of the World Series, the No. 2 or 3 moment, and mine will make the top 10, but it's never been No. 1, never been No. 2. It's always been in the middle of the pack," Carter lamented yesterday.

"Had I been with the Yankees or the Dodgers, I think it would have been No. 1. But because it was here in Toronto, it has not gotten the respect that it really should deserve."

That won't be a problem this summer, when at least 30 members of the Blue Jays' World Series winning teams in 1992 and '93 reunite in Toronto to relive the glory days.

The Back2Back reunion, as it's being dubbed, will run Aug 6-9 and feature a golf tournament, Fan Fest and other events to bring those players and fans together.

Carter, who helped organize the gathering, will no doubt find greater appreciation for his home run there than he does down south.

"It doesn't take away from it, because I know what it meant to myself, my teammates and the country of Canada, and I know up here it would be No. 1. So it gets the respect here," said Carter. "There's always two sides to every story, so somehow they can diminish it, but in my mind they'll never be able to diminish it."

Also coming are: Roberto Alomar, Paul Molitor, Jack Morris, Tom Henke, Pat Hentgen, Devon White, John Olerud, Duane Ward and David Cone.

"The reason why it took us 17 years to put this reunion together is because we had to wait until Mike Timlin finally retired," said Carter. "He was the last remaining guy that still played, so we had to make sure he's retired now, which he is."