Goose Gossage

Richard Michael Gossage threw a fastball that rose, a glare that burned, and a temperament that made right-handed hitters bat .211 against him across 22 major league seasons. He saved 310 games, struck out 1,502 batters, posted a 3.01 ERA, and pitched the kind of relief innings that no longer exist. Modern closers record three outs. Gossage recorded seven, eight, nine at a time, logging 130 or more relief innings in three separate seasons and compiling 53 career saves of seven outs or more. Mariano Rivera had one. "It takes three guys to do what I did," Gossage said. The BBWAA elected him to the Hall of Fame in 2008 with 85.8% of the vote, on his ninth ballot.

Colorado Springs

Gossage was born on July 5, 1951, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the fifth of six children. His father Jake prospected for gold, mined coal, and worked as a landscaper. Jake established a nightly catch routine with his son and discussed the greats of the game until he died when Rich was a junior at Wasson High School. The Chicago White Sox drafted Gossage in the ninth round of the 1970 draft. His teammate Tom Bradley noticed Gossage's neck jutting forward for catcher's signs in 1972 spring training and said it looked like the movement of a goose. The Chicago press published the comparison, and the name stuck for the next 50 years.

Gossage debuted with the White Sox on April 16, 1972, and led the American League with 26 saves in 1975, posting an 8.2 WAR that season, the most valuable relief pitcher season in major league history by that measure. The White Sox converted him to starting in 1976. He made the All-Star team as a starter but went 9-17 on the year. "I don't know if I have the patience to be a starter," Gossage admitted. "I almost went nuts waiting five days to pitch." He returned to relief with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1977, posted a 1.62 ERA with 26 saves and 151 strikeouts in 133 innings, and entered free agency.

The Yankees

Gossage signed a six-year, $3.6 million contract with the New York Yankees in late November 1977. His arrival displaced incumbent closer Sparky Lyle, prompting teammate Graig Nettles to observe that Lyle "went from Cy Young to sayonara."

The 1978 season ended with the Yankees and Red Sox tied for the American League East title. In the one-game playoff on October 2, Gossage entered with one out in the seventh inning, the Yankees leading 4-2 after Bucky Dent's home run. He allowed two runs in the eighth but held the lead and got Carl Yastrzemski to pop up to Nettles with two outs and two men on in the ninth. "My legs were shaking," Gossage said. "It was like being led in front of a firing squad." Yastrzemski said of the final pitch, "That came in even faster than I thought."

Gossage pitched six innings in the World Series against the Dodgers, allowing one hit and zero runs, and clinched the championship in Game 6 with a perfect ninth inning. He made nine All-Star teams between 1975 and 1985, led the American League in saves three times, and recorded the final out to clinch a division, league, or World Series title seven times.

On April 19, 1979, a clubhouse fight with teammate Cliff Johnson tore ligaments in Gossage's right thumb and cost him three months. The Yankees traded Johnson to Cleveland two months later. On October 10, 1980, George Brett hit a three-run homer off Gossage in the ALCS as the Royals swept the Yankees, ending New York's three-year run of pennants.

San Diego and Beyond

Gossage signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent in 1984 and helped them reach the World Series by pitching the final two innings of the NLCS clincher against the Cubs. In World Series Game 5 against the Detroit Tigers, manager Dick Williams told Gossage to intentionally walk Kirk Gibson with runners on and first base open. Gossage refused. Gibson hit a three-run homer on the second pitch to clinch the Series for Detroit. Gossage and Williams later laughed about the episode together at Gossage's Hall of Fame induction.

Gossage recorded his 300th save on August 6, 1988, pitching for the Cubs, retiring Phil Bradley on a popup to Ryne Sandberg to become the second pitcher to reach the milestone. He pitched for the Giants, the Yankees again, the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in Japan, the Rangers, the Athletics, and the Mariners before retiring after the 1994 season. His final appearance, on August 8, consisted of three perfect innings for a save in a 14-4 Seattle victory over Texas. He was 43.

Gossage finished with 124 wins, 310 saves, 1,502 strikeouts, and a 3.01 ERA across 1,002 games and 1,809 innings. He was the fifth relief specialist inducted into the Hall of Fame, after Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, and Bruce Sutter. Colorado Springs dedicated the Goose Gossage Youth Sports Complex in his honor in 1995. "I gave them their money's worth," Gossage said.