How depressing is it when guys you followed as a kid growing up in the sixties start to die off? It’s one thing — and no less unfortunate — for people like Duke Snider, but I remember Greg Goossen, from his years on the New York Mets. Goossen, who signed with his home town Los Angeles Dodgers in 1964 and caught Sandy Koufax, has died at the age of 65.
In addition to the Mets (he never played in the Majors for the Dodgers), Goossen played for the Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Senators, compiling a .241 batting average with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs in 193 games over six seasons. His best season came in 1969 when he hit .309 and had 10 of those homers and 24 of the RBIs.
The best line about Goossen: When Casey Stengel was the Mets’ manager, he loved to chat up the pres about how good the team— his “youth of America” — was going to be in a couple of years. During spring training he would take them around, showing off the various prospects. Of a pitcher, he would say “This is Mr. X. In five years he has a chance to win 20 games.” Of a power hitter, Stengel might say, “This is Mr. Y. In seven years he has the chance to hit 40 home runs.” Then he came to Goossen, a light-hit, slow-footed, defensively-challenged catcher who was 20 in 1966. “This is Mr. Goossen. In 10 years he has the chance to be 30.”
Goossen went on to have an interesting post-playing career, working as a private detective, a boxing training, and a bit actor in nearly 20 movies, and not shlock either: the flicks included such popular Get Shorty, Unforgiven, and The Royal Tannenbaums.
More on Goossen, who had just been elected to the Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks) Hall of Fame on Feb. 24, here and here.
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From Regina via Facebook:
Since I’ve been following baseball for 50 years now, it’s really depressing when guys I followed in the 1980s/1990s start to die off – thinking right now about Rod Beck, Jose Lima, and Ken Caminiti.
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