Goose Gossage

Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage (born July 5, 1951) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1972 and 1994.

He pitched for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gossage was one of the earliest manifestations of the modern closer, with facial hair and a gruff demeanor to go along with his fastball.

He graduated in 1970 from Wasson High School, where he played on the baseball and basketball teams and is included in the school's athletic "Wall of Fame".

His wife Corna Gossage also graduated from Wasson High.

The Chicago White Sox selected him in the ninth round of the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.

Gossage led the American League (AL) in saves in 1975 (26).

After the 1976 season, the White Sox traded Gossage and Terry Forster to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Silvio Martinez and Richie Zisk.

On October 10, George Brett of the Royals hit a tide-turning three-run homer off Gossage into Yankee Stadium's right-field upper deck to lead the Royals to a three-game sweep in the AL Championship Series, after the Yankees had defeated the Royals in three consecutive ALCS from 1976 to 1978.

Almost three years later during the regular season, Brett got to Gossage again in the Bronx, blasting a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the ninth in a game memorialized as the "Pine Tar Game".

From 1977 through 1983 he never recorded an earned run average over 2.62, including a mark of 0.77 in 1981, and in 1980 he finished third in AL voting for both the MVP Award and Cy Young Award as the Yankees won a division title.

Respected for his impact in crucial games, Gossage recorded the final out to clinch a division, league, or World Series title seven times.

He became a free agent after the 1977 season, and signed with the New York Yankees.

Gossage again led the AL in saves in 1978 (27) and 1980 (33).

On October 2, 1978, he earned the save in the Yankees' one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox for the AL East title, entering with one out in the seventh inning and a 4–2 lead following Bucky Dent's home run; although he allowed two runs in the eighth inning, he held on to preserve the 5–4 victory, getting Carl Yastrzemski to pop up to third baseman Graig Nettles with two out and two men on base in the ninth inning to clinch the division championship.

He was also on the mound five days later when the Yankees clinched the pennant in the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals, entering Game 4 in the ninth inning with a 2–1 lead and a runner on second base; he earned the save by striking out Clint Hurdle and retiring Darrell Porter and Pete LaCock on fly balls.

He was on the mound ten days later when they captured the World Series title against the Los Angeles Dodgers for their second consecutive championship, coming on with no one out in the eighth inning of Game 6; he retired Ron Cey on a popup to catcher Thurman Munson to clinch the win.

One of his most impressive performances was on September 3, 1978, in a game vs. the Seattle Mariners.

On April 19, 1979, following a Yankee loss to the Baltimore Orioles, Reggie Jackson started kidding Cliff Johnson about his inability to hit Gossage.

While Johnson was showering, Gossage insisted to Jackson that he struck out Johnson all the time when he used to face him, and that he was terrible at the plate.

“He either homers or strikes out”, Gossage said.

He had previously given Johnson the nickname “Breeze” in reference to how his big swing kept Gossage cool on the pitcher’s mound in hot weather.

When Jackson relayed this information to Johnson upon his return to the locker room, all the players assembled, egged on by Jackson, started laughing at him and in unison loudly called him “Breeze” with some waving their arms and hands before doubling over.

This infuriated Johnson and a fight started between him and Gossage.

Gossage tore ligaments in his right thumb and missed three months of the season which cost the Yankees a chance to win their third consecutive World Series title.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was furious and fined both Johnson and Gossage.

Teammate Tommy John called it "a demoralizing blow to the team."

Johnson was traded to Cleveland two months after the brawl.

Ron Guidry, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, volunteered to go to the bullpen to replace him.

In the first game of a doubleheader on October 4, 1980, Gossage pitched the last two innings of a 5–2 win over the Detroit Tigers, earning his career-high 33rd save as New York clinched another division title.

Gossage recorded saves in all three Yankee victories in the 1981 AL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, not allowing a run in 6 2⁄3 innings, and he was again the final pitcher when they clinched the 1981 pennant against the Oakland Athletics.

In 1983, his last season with the Yankees, Gossage broke Sparky Lyle's club record of 141 career saves; Dave Righetti passed his final total of 150 in 1988.

He led the American League (AL) in saves three times and was runner-up twice; by the end of the 1987 season he ranked second in major-league career saves, trailing only Rollie Fingers, although by the end of his career his total of 310 had slipped to fourth all time.

When he retired he also ranked third in major-league career games pitched (1,002), and he remains third in wins in relief (115) and innings pitched in relief (1,5562⁄3); his 1,502 strikeouts place him behind only Hoyt Wilhelm among pitchers who pitched primarily in relief.

He also is the career leader in blown saves (112).

His eight All-Star selections as a reliever were a record until Mariano Rivera passed him in 2008; he was also selected once as a starting pitcher.

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.

He now works in broadcasting.

Gossage grew up near N. Cascade Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Replacing Sparky Lyle in the top of the 9th with runners on second and third and no outs, he preserved a 4–3 lead by striking out the next three batters in 11 pitches.