David J. Rubin on Doc & Darryl

 

I met Darryl in '82 and we were 2 years apart in age. He was just named Mets Minor League Player of the year and happily signed my ticket stub that day.

I met Doc in winter '84 after he won Rookie of the Year and he signed my New York Daily  Newspaper which had announced his rookie of the year status (I still have it). Doc was a few months younger than I was. 

Here I was trying to find my place in the world as a college student and these two men were already being adored by audiences of 55,000 people every night and millions more at home on TV. 

Fast forward to a few years ago: I met Darryl out here in Los Angeles at a book signing at Barnes & Noble and I had a chance to shake his hand and thank him for all of the great seasons and smiles that he brought to us as fans. He thanked me and seemed genuinely happy, but most of all for the first time it seemed that he really had beaten the demons that had trailed him most of his life. He signed his book for me, and he also signed my hat baseball even though the Barnes and Noble people told him not to sign anything but his book. He said that he would sign anything for a loyal Mets fan. 

Fast-forward again and a few years ago I had the chance to meet up with Doc again, also at his book signing at a sports memorabilia store in orange county, California. He complimented me on my Mets shirt and I told him that Tom Seaver was my favorite pitcher of all time because he brought me into baseball, but that Doc was my favorite pitcher as an adult because we were the same age and I could never understand how someone that young could be that unbelievably talented. 

The pressure that was put on these men by the media and the fans was greater than anyone could possibly imagine at the time: that did not excuse their alcohol and drug usage, nor there philandering and other incidents. However, I will always choose to remember their incredible contributions to an amazing team between the white lines, in spite of their white lines… and it has taken me this long to forgive them for being human and imperfect and frail not becoming the Hall of Fame players that they always seemed destined to become.  

If you have not seen the latest episode of ESPN's "30 for 30" featuring these two men, I recommend it as an amazing story about the New York Mets, an amazing story about baseball, and an amazing story about two addicts who have worked incredibly hard to finally get their lives on the right path.

Thank you Darryl Strawberry.

Thank you Dwight Gooden.