Dwight Gooden Biography

Dwight Eugene Gooden, born November 16, 1964, is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball. Dwight Gooden played in Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1994 and again from 1996 to 2000 with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. As a 19-year-old rookie in 1984, he earned his first All-Star selection, won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, and led the league in strikeouts. In 1985, he won the NL Cy Young Award with a 24–4 record, a 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeouts, and 16 complete games. The following season, he helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series. Cocaine and alcohol addiction affected his performance in later years despite ongoing pitching effectiveness. Dwight Gooden played baseball at Hillsborough High School in Tampa alongside Vance Lovelace as a teammate.