Happy Birthday, Doc Gooden
By Jay Horwitz
I have known Dwight Gooden for 42 years now.
We first met after we selected him in the first round (fifth overall) in the 1982 draft out of Hillsborough High School in Tampa. He was 17 then and this Saturday (Nov 16) he turns 60. Hard to believe. Where did the time go?
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It didn’t take Dwight long at all to become Dr. K. In 1983, he struck out 300 at Lynchburg (A). In 1984 was the National League Rookie of The Year and then in 1985 came his Cy Young season when Doc captured the Triple Crown of pitching.
He would be inducted into our Hall of Fame and last season we retired his iconic Number 16, along with Darryl Strawberry’s Number 18. Sure, there have been bumps along the road, but Dwight has preserved and now spends a great deal of his time visiting cancer kids and telling youngsters not to make the same mistakes he did. Dwight has the heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. Even though Doc did pitch elsewhere, he always has bled orange and blue.
You’re the best Doc. Happy 60th my friend. If you are 60, I must be 90.
