Your Hall of Fame Vote, Post-Mitchell

Funny thing is, if Gooden hung it up 1994 and never came back with the Yankees, he might have stood a better chance of making the Hall of Fame than he does now. Considering he had two major arm injuries, his career from 1984-93 (or at least the 84-91 part, which wouldn't have given him the requisite 10 years) is close to Hall-worthy on its own.

 

If Gooden didn't (allegedly) take almost every drug on the planet, he might have a better HOF chance.

 

OK Tom, just for you:

My live first baseball game: a Saturday in July, 1955 (don't remember the exact date) at Ebbets Field, upper deck boxes seats (Cost $3) second row, behind home plate...Dodgers-Milwaukee Braves.
Braves won ... don't remember the score. Some 21-year-old kid named Hank Aaron hit a home run.
I was 5 years old.

 

That's probably true, but the two arm injuries (especially the second one) had a more detrimental effect on Gooden's career than the drugs did.

 

When I was in high school, my mother dated a man who was at Larsen's perfect game (or at least he said he was; he showed me the ticket stub). Their relationship didn't last, but he told some great stories.

 

I was at the game before Larsen. First World Series game..age 7.

 

I, on the other hand, was not born yet. ;D

 

i bow in your presence. wow, just wow. how well do you remember it?

and were you able to get to yankee stadium and the polo grounds before 1957?

 

You didn't used to date my mom, did you? (Actually that guy was in his 60s when I knew him -- the early 90s, so he would have been quite a bit older than 7 in 1955).

 

Went to all 3 NY parks in '56, including, as mentioned, WS game before Larsen in '56.
Next door neighbor in NJ was a CPA who got tix from his clients. Also, local rec program used to have bus trips to all 3 ballparks in the summer FREE!

 

then you lived my dream, my friend. and i mean that in all sincerity.