Carter and his family are in Canton for the festivities, they had dinner Friday night. Butch said, “it’s just really awesome” that Cris is in the Hall of Fame like his idol Jim Brown.
Close family friend Gregg Darbyshire said Carter has worked hard to be a positive role model for kids in Middletown. “It’s something kids in that community can aspire to be and Cris has done not only great things on the football field but has a very successful business career after football, I think it’s very important given the community naming the field after him and being able to tell the young people in Middletown to believe in your dreams I think he’s proven that,” said Darbyshire.
Darbyshire said Cris has never forgotten his roots and is proud to be one of Middletown’s most wellknown stars. “(It’s) a tribute to Middletown and I know when Cris came in May and we did some things in town, when he was honored I know that he will never forget where he came from, having that field named after him was one of … that and the Hall of Fame were two special memories in his football career,” said Darbyshire.
While Carter was certainly a talented wide receiver, Darbyshire’s fondest memories are of Carter playing a different sport. “My biggest memory of him were in basketball, talk about a guy who could’ve probably played in the NBA … I think he was an electrifying player on the football field but what he did in Miller gym and taking the Middies to state in 1983 kind of restored the program,” said Darbyshire.
Thousands of Carter fans were in Canton over the weekend including two people who lived in Middletown.
Carter invited his fifth-grade teacher Mac Knepschield who retired from Middletown City Schools after a 31-year teaching career.
“I was blown away as a matter of fact, still kind of surprised because I was in education, I wasn’t in football … who in the heck sends an invitation to the Hall of Fame? Never been in Canton before lived in Ohio all my life except for South Carolina now, never been here before,” said Knepschield.
The two have kept in touch over the years and Knepschield is most proud of what Carter has done off the football field. “I’m most proud of the man he has become, the character of the man he has become if you followed him over the years like I have, he has matured, he has done a lot for kids and mentored a lot of young player,” said Knepschield.
Wearing a purple Middie shirt, George Paraskos traveled from Middletown to Canton for the induction ceremony on Saturday. “Go Middies!” said Paraskos. “It’s awesome, got to watch him in high school and at Ohio State.”
Paraskos works at AK Steel and has lived in Middletown for more than 20 years.
“Never been here for an induction, got to see a local guy do it, so you got Jerry Lucas in basketball and Cris Carter in football in the Hall of Fame — pretty amazing for a small town.”
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