I got Dwight Gooden's autograph tonight

[SWC75]

I was a Pirate fan from little league, (the team I was on was named after them), through the “We are family” year of 1979. I kind of withdrew form them and even from baseball when they fell apart on and off the field but started following the Mets in the mid-80’s, just in time for their resurgence and ’86 championship. That was the era of Dwight Gooden and Lenny Dykstra, who were in town on a an autograph signing tour. I hoped to get both of them and copied some pictures off the internet for them to sign but Gooden was late. The line was so long, (I was in it for two hours, that it was Gooden who was at the autograph table when I got there. Dykstra, who’s been signing for three hours, (he started at 5PM for a 7PM game), had left. So I didn’t get him. But Gooden was the one I wanted, anyway. He was very nice. I commented that the photograph I’d copied:

It’s kind of sad and a product of our times that these two heroes of the ’86 Mets have been in jail since then but they seemed to be getting past their problems and enjoyed seeing the fans. Unfortunately the Chiefs again lost the game, (we are now 23-46) but the game was a good one and the autograph and the fireworks display afterwards made it an entertaining night.

http://www.cnycentral.com/sports/story.aspx?id=1220382#.VYYyM_lViko

 

[cuseattle]

Dwight was my hero in high school.

 

[cuseattle]

And I wore my hat like Lenny. Business in the front...

 

[OrangeDW]

Has there ever been a better 19-21 year old pro athlete? Rookie of the year, Cy Young, and World Series championship in his first 3 seasons, 58-19 record, 35 complete games, and 13 shutouts. Crazy.

 

[Frozen]

Has there ever been a better 19-21 year old pro athlete? Rookie of the year, Cy Young, and World Series championship in his first 3 seasons, 58-19 record, 35 complete games, and 13 shutouts. Crazy.

 

[SWC75]

34-20, 19 complete games, 12 shutouts from 19-21.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valenfe01.shtml .

 

[cuseattle]

He was a bit of a screwball. I will always remember Dwight climbing the ladder at 95... 96... 98!

 

[cuseattle]

I also got Sidd Finch's autograph. Great minor league prospect.

 

[Briancuse]

The first baseball game I ever went to, I got to see Doc shutout the Phillies, he should have been a hof pitcher, its too bad it didn't happen.

 

[SWC75]

Dwight Gooden was the second coming of Vida Blue:

Vida:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vida_Blue

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bluevi01.shtml

Dwight:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_Gooden

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goodedw01.shtml

 

[cuseattle]

The first baseball game I ever went to, I got to see Doc shutout the Phillies, he should have been a hof pitcher, its too bad it didn't happen.

I also got to see Doc pitch a gem when I was in high school, and Darrell Strawberry made the apple pop up twice.

 

[NYCSUGrad]

I was a Pirate fan from little league, (the team I was on was named after them), through the “We are family” year of 1979. I kind of withdrew form them and even from baseball when they fell apart on and off the field but started following the Mets in the mid-80’s, just in time for their resurgence and ’86 championship. That was the era of Dwight Gooden and Lenny Dykstra, who were in town on a an autograph signing tour. I hoped to get both of them and copied some pictures off the internet for them to sign but Gooden was late. The line was so long, (I was in it for two hours, that it was Gooden who was at the autograph table when I got there. Dykstra, who’s been signing for three hours, (he started at 5PM for a 7PM game), had left. So I didn’t get him. But Gooden was the one I wanted, anyway. He was very nice. I commented that the photograph I’d copied:

It’s kind of sad and a product of our times that these two heroes of the ’86 Mets have been in jail since then but they seemed to be getting past their problems and enjoyed seeing the fans. Unfortunately the Chiefs again lost the game, (we are now 23-46) but the game was a good one and the autograph and the fireworks display afterwards made it an entertaining night.

http://www.cnycentral.com/sports/story.aspx?id=1220382#.VYYyM_lViko

This is very cool. Coincidentally I came on the board just to post for the Mets fans that they have a nice fan board, NY Future Stars. The posts are generally knowledgeable and written by people who know proper English. There's not too much whining that's not justified and little bickering and hardly any trolls. I've been on the mlb mets board but I like it less. So come check it out.

 

[PoppyHart]

Has there ever been a better 19-21 year old pro athlete? Rookie of the year, Cy Young, and World Series championship in his first 3 seasons, 58-19 record, 35 complete games, and 13 shutouts. Crazy.

You mean dominating your sport at the age of 21? Nope.

 

[cuseattle]

This is very cool. Coincidentally I came on the board just to post for the Mets fans that they have a nice fan board, NY Future Stars. The posts are generally knowledgeable and written by people who know proper English. There's not too much whining that's not justified and little bickering and hardly any trolls. I've been on the mlb mets board but I like it less. So come check it out.

Thank you m'lady.