By Kim J. Harmon

 

Rich “Goose” Gossage was one of the most feared relievers of his time, but against the Boston Red Sox in the 1978 American League Eastern Division playoff game he definitely felt the butterflies in his stomach.

The Yankees had rallied back from a 14-game deficit in the standings that year and on October 2, 1978, were tied for first with the Red Sox. And with the Yankees nursing a 5-4 lead with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth, Gossage squared off against Carl Yastrzemski.

“It was the biggest game I had ever pitched in,” the Goose told some 600 people at the Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball League banquet last week at the Waterview Inn in Monroe, “and if you don’t think big leaguers get nervous, we do.”

Gossage got Yastrzemski to pop out to Graig Nettles at third and the Yankees went on to win the pennant and the World Series.

Gossage was welcomed with the familiar sound of Goooooose when announced by master of ceremonies, Bart Busterna.

“With a name like Goose,” he chuckled, “you never know if you’re being booed or if (the fans) are saying your name … and I know there’s a lot of Red Sox fans here.”

As dozens of Babe Ruth baseball players gathered in front of the podium, Goose talked about the day he signed with the Chicago White Sox as a ninth round selection for $8,000 (he had run home that day excited because he had gotten a job coaching some kids, only to find a major league scout in his kitchen) and the lessons he learned early in his career.

“We will learn more from our failures than we ever will from our successes,” said Gossage, who began his major league career in 1974.

Goose won nine games and saved 26 others in 1975 before suffering a 9-17 campaign in 1976 when the White Sox needed him in the starting rotation. He was then traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and in 1977 had an outstanding year, finishing 11-9 with 26 saves and a 1.62 earned run average. But his time in Pittsburgh ended quickly and in 1978 he joined the New York Yankees.

“Putting on the pinstripes was like an out-of-body experience,” he said.

In the Bronx, Goose inherited the stopper role from the 1977 Cy Young winner, Sparky Lyle, and went 10-11 with 27 saves. He pitched 134 innings, fourth-highest on the entire staff, and not only saved the American League Eastern Division playoff game against the Red Sox, but he was on the mound when the Yankees clinched their second consecutive pennant and World Championship.

Now, after 22 years in the majors, 310 saves (eighth on the all-time list) and 115 victories relief victories (third on the all-time list behind Hoyt Wilhelm and Lindy McDaniel) might seem to be enough to get the fireballing relief pitcher into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but that has thus far proved to be an elusive goal and Goose has made no secret of his frustration with the whole process.

“A lot of times it’s a popularity contest,” he said. “I saw it when Tony Perez had trouble getting in.”

The role of a relief pitcher has changed drastically over the last 20 or 30 years. While modern day closers are expected to only get three outs, those from the 1970s and ‘80s were often expected to go two or even three innings to pick up a save.

“Mariano is probably the best reliever of the modern era,” said Gossage, “but we were brought into grueling situations … some situations even God himself couldn’t get out of.”

In one of his most amazing performances, Gossage was called out of the pen on September 3, 1978 when the Seattle Mariners put runners on second and third with no outs, down just a run. All the Goose did then was strike out the side on 11 pitches.

Gossage saved a career-high 33 games in 1980 and was spectacular in a strike-shortened 1981 season, allowing just 22 hits in 47 innings while striking out 48 batters and recording 20 saves. He saved all three wins over the Milwaukee Brewers during the divisional playoffs and both Yankees wins over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Gossage played two more years in New York before joining the San Diego in 1984 and helping lead the Padres to the World Series.

Even with his exceptional career and Hall of Fame numbers, Goose Gossage still remembers two famous home runs he gave up to George Brett. One was a series-clinching home run in Game 3 of the 1980 League Championship Series and the other was the infamous Pine Tar home run on July 24, 1983.

“Yeah, that was me,” he said. “George Brett was one of the toughest hitters I ever faced.”

Baseball took Gossage to San Francisco, back to New York, to Japan (where he saved eight games for the Fukoka Daiei Hawks of the Pacific League), Chicago (saving his 300th career game in the Cubs’ 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies), Texas , Oakland and Seattle.

On a memorable note, Gossage struck out Pete Rose on August 17, 1986, in Rose’s final major league at-bat.

It was a spectacular evening for Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball and it couldn’t have come off without the efforts of Jennifer Sposta (chairwoman), Karen Kelley, Mario Barreto, Rich Gustafson, Art Rowe and Gary Stoller.

“These six people have worked non-stop on this event for the last five months,” said Babe Ruth vice-president Ron Schmidt, “and their efforts produced a magnificent evening for all that attended.”