Gooden was nervous before the вЂ™85 season. Both are gone now, but Gooden remains as a testament to a crystalized moment when they were all at their best. Mention the ease with which he pitched, and he brings up Mel Stottlemyre, the Mets pitching coach at the time. Talk about 1985, and one of the first things he mentions is Gary Carter. He is a reminder of a bygone era of Mets baseball вЂ“ of brash players, domination, swagger and hope.Д«ut his recollections these days seem more dominated by the people around him than even himself. вЂњIt was almost like being a performer in a concert where everybodyвЂ™s there to see you.вЂќ Two Mets fans put up the 14th K-card in the ninth inning after pitcher Dwight Gooden struck out 14В Giants batters at Candlestick Park in San Francisco onВ May 30, 1985. He popularized the K corner and would secretly peek up to see how many he had going. His mythology is well-established вЂ“ striking out 16 Giants and throwing 143 pitches, the 16 complete games and the 268 total strikeouts.

And so here Gooden is, trying again to regain his life, but also allowing himself a moment to remember what it was like then. By his own account, his struggle with addiction began after that вЂ™85 season, the year when everything was still possible. The list of his drug and alcohol transgressions is long and, for many, painful, becauseВ his attempts to get sober are also well-known. I definitely think that, but not as often as I once did.вЂќДЇor baseball fans and Mets fans in particular, GoodenвЂ™s difficulties have been well-documented: The incarceration heвЂ™s referring to was in 2006, after meeting his parole officer high on cocaine, but his latest brush with the law came in 2019, when he was arrested twice вЂ“ the first time in June for possession of cocaine and the second in July for driving while intoxicated.

But still, at times, I think of what could have been. I just wanted to play a long time, but I got to win three World Series, got every record possible for a pitcher, so I shouldnвЂ™t be ashamed of my career. вЂњBut then, I have to say to myself, so I donвЂ™t constantly beat myself up,В well, I came into the league, I didnвЂ™t have any expectations. вЂњWhen I was incarcerated, you replay your whole career and you look at times where you say, wow, I could have been in the Hall of Fame,вЂќ Gooden told Newsday recently.

TheВ Mets' Dwight GoodenВ pitchesВ against the Cardinals during Opening DayВ on Apat Shea Stadium.

Doc gooden lsd game