Here's a nickname I grew up with being a Yankee fan in the
late-70's/early 80's, "Goose" for Yankee reliever Rich Gossage, one of
my favorite players as a kid.
Check out my card:
I designed his nickname-card in the style of a 1979 Topps card
since he really started making a name for himself in '78/'79, especially
as the wild reliever who "took over" for recent Cy Young winner Sparky
Lyle, leading to one of baseball's best quips
of the time: "You went from Cy Young to sayonara", voiced by third
baseman Graig Nettles.
Gossage was a true character of the game. He was all legs and arms
whipping near-100 mile-per-hour fastballs while sporting that trademark
'stache, closing out games for those "Bronx Zoo" teams I loved so much.
He spent six years in the Bronx, and never had an E.R.A. over 2.62, even sporting a microscopic 0.77 in 1981!
He also led the league in saves twice while wearing pinstripes, as well as getting named to three all-star teams.
In 1978, 1980 and 1981 he'd also finish in the top-5 in Cy Young voting, in addition to getting some M.V.P. attention.
Around the school-yard I literally spent most of my childhood in, the
nickname "Goose" was taken by so many kids it was ridiculous. We all
loved that "crazy dude" who looked as mean as any biker.
By the time he was done, Gossage put in a 22 year career that landed him in the Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2008.
He was also given a plaque out in Yankee Stadium this year (to
which I am a bit puzzled by), cementing his Yankee legend for all to
look back on.
The "Goose", a real wild-man of a closer…
