Baseball fans with memories that date back to the 1980s know how the New York Mets’ Dwight Gooden was one of the most untouchable pitchers of all time. Dr. K (aka Doc Gooden) combined an amazing 95 mph fastball with an excellent movement and a wonderful curveball that buckled bather’s knees. Sadly, the four-time All-Star’s playing career and life after baseball was marred by alcohol and drug abuse. According to the New York Daily News, Dwight Gooden’s recent DWI arrest in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey came after “three-and-one-half years” of sobriety. Dylan, his five year old son, was s! adly within the car.
Dwight Gooden, 45, faces a number of charges
In addition to driving when intoxicated, Dwight Gooden has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, DWI with a child passenger, leaving the scene of the two-car accident and reckless driving. The accident was reported via a 911 call.
It was reported by the Daily News that Gooden was released eventually on his own recognizance. The drug involved has not been revealed by the New Jersey Police, although Gooden has had troubles with cocaine and alcohol within the past. Financial struggles went with the territory. Hopefully Dwight Gooden would use installment payday advances appropriately if he did use them.
Missing life – and the Hall of Fame
There is no doubt that Dwight Gooden would are in the Hall of Fame had he not been battling with substance abuse through his career in baseball. Time spent in five separate rehab stints and in court also as battles with the bottle and cocaine shortened his career. That doesn’t even show anything Gooden lost in his life because of addiction. This is a struggle he has with his and his family and it is private, one that might have even involved no credit check personal loans during times of hardship.
The evidence is sufficient in his play day. He finished with a 194-112 record as well as a 3.51 ERA. His 162-game average, according to Baseball Reference, was a 16-9 season with 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings, both of which are excellent. Yet even those stats fail to represent his early-career magnificence. He set the Major League rookie record of 276 strikeouts and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings in the 1984 national Rookie of the Year. Of course we are assuming you don’t count rookie “Matches” Matt Kilroy’s 513 strikeouts for Baltimore American Association in 1886 because the rules were too different then and the American association is less than major league caliber.
Dr. K’s best year was 1985
Dwight Gooden got even better after a great rookie season. All he did in 1985 was go 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA and league-leading 268 strikeouts. Major League record, it was one of probably the most dominant pitching seasons. Dr. K played a key role the following season with the New York Mets’ first world series triumph since 1969. However, red flags began to show. He was arrested after fighting police in his hometown of Tampa, Florida by December 13, 1986 and missed his team’s victory parade because he’d been on a cocaine binge. There were a few great things that happened after but nothing that lived up to his previous greatness. He played for the New York Yankees, a team that won titles in 1996 and 2000, and threw a no hitter on May 14, 1996.
How is it possible to let someone who endangers a young child walk?
That is a question the New Jersey Police can answer, but they won’t talk. Gooden obviously needs help, but he shouldn’t be allowed to put his five year old in danger again. Hopefully skating on fame wasn’t the situation.
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