Madden - Gary Carter attends Palm Beach Atlantic University baseball game

In his continuing battle against brain cancer, Gary Carter made a rare public appearance Thursday, visiting the Palm Beach Atlantic college baseball team he coaches near his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Carter, 57, has spent nearly his entire time confined to his house in recent days as his condition has worsened.

However, according to family sources, he was determined to make it to Palm Beach Atlantic’s opening game of the season and was driven to the game by family members — whereupon he arrived at the field riding in the back of a golf cart shortly before the playing of the national anthem.

“He wanted to be here for his guys, here for opening day,” Carter’s daughter, Kimmy Bloemers, was quoted as saying by the Palm Beach Post.

Carter spent only a few minutes with the team, shaking hands with the players and grinning broadly, while repeating: “Let’s get a win tonight.”

He then spent about three innings watching the game from a private booth in the press box, accompanied by former Montreal Expo teammates Tommy Hutton and Jeff Reardon, both of whom live in the Palm Beach Gardens area.

On Jan. 21, Carter was honored with the Milton and Arthur Richman “Ya Gotta Have Heart” award at the New York Baseball Writers dinner but was too ill to attend. Instead, the award was accepted by his son, D.J., and his two daughters, Kimmy and Christy, who asked the audience to pray for their dad.

Since then, family sources said doctors elected to cease a lot of the medication — chemotherapy and radiation — Carter was receiving as it was no longer containing the tumors and making him feel worse.

He was said to be spending most of his time at home in a weakened state, and the family website has not had an entry since Jan. 19, when Bloemers reported, “This past week has been one of the hardest weeks for my dad. Every day is exhausting and every move takes great effort.”

Thursday, at least, was a better day, as Carter fulfilled his vow to his players to be there for them on their opening day of the season.