In a sad turn for Dwight Gooden, the former pitcher for the Mets and Yankees, admitted in a Florida court yesterday to using cocaine. Gooden was on parole for a DUI incident last August and told his parole officer last week that he was using cocaine. After taking a drug test and testing positive, Gooden was arrested. It is expected that Gooden will face some prison time after his sentencing on April 5th. He faces a maximum of 5 years for violating his parole.
Gooden, who spent most of his career with the Mets, was the 1984 Rookie of the Year and won the National League Cy Young award in 1985. In 16 seasons, Gooden was 194-112 with a 3.87 career ERA and 2,293 strikeouts. In his 1996 season with the Yankees, he pitched a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners.
Earlier this year, Gooden failed to get enough votes from baseball writers to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame until 2021 when the Veterans Committee can decide on his Cooperstown fate. Sadly, we worry that Doc might not make it that long.
Image of the April 7, 1986 cover of Time Magazine
