THE DAY I TOOK A GANDER AT THE GOOSE

 

BY ROBERT PALAZZO

Some baseball players have it — call it flamboyance, style, charisma —whatever, but you knew it when you saw it. Goose Gossage was one of those players, with his oversized walrus moustache, overbearing fastball coupled with just enough of an attitude and just enough ‘controlled’ wildness to keep batters loose in the box. His 6’3" 215 lb frame also cut an imposing figure. Whenever he took to the mound, one sensed excitement.

I had the opportunity to meet Richard ‘Goose’ Gossage at an autograph signing session at my buddy’s hobby shop earlier this summer. Goose was in my home town of Utica, NY to be the guest speaker for a local volunteer fireman fund raiser dinner. I walked into the shop, looking for Tom, the shop owner. There were about 10 people mulling around, looking over the memorabilia on display. I found Tom, chatted some small talk, finally asking where he had Goose hidden. Much to my surprise, he was sitting about 8 feet from me, right out in full view. He was so quiet and unassuming I hadn’t even noticed him.

But there was no mistaking that this was the Goose — moustache still full and shaped in that drooping style that seemed to fit his face so well, his hair was shorter now, as we males tend to wear it as we enter middle age. He was tall and lean, looking like he could take the mound and throw a few good innings. His light blue denim shirt and western style boots shouted ‘Colorado’ and I half expected to see a ‘mountain fresh’ Coors in his hand.

Actually, there was an episode with a six pack of beer that was quite amusing. A friend of mine, Lou, who was helping Tom that day, decided that the time was right to get his stuff autographed. He approached the table with several items, including a brown paper bag. When he removed its contents, Tom almost had a heart attack. Lou had purchased a 6 pack of our local home brew ‘Saranac’ and presented it to Goose. Tom had all he could do to restrain himself when he saw that alcohol visible in his shop. To my surprise, Goose politely refused the beer and went back to signing autographs. Well, Lou was a bit embarrassed at the rebuff, gathering his stuff and saying , "Well Goose, I’ll be thinking of you this evening", as he eyed the 6 pack in his hand. Then the coolest thing happened. Without skipping a beat or looking up, and still signing away, Goose retorted "Yeah, and I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow morning!" Just a great comeback, done with the same style and grace, but packing a powerful pitch, just like when he was on the mound.

Although I assumed he refused for good PR purposes, Tom later told me that Goose had gone to see a doctor years ago because of soreness in his arm. The doc had told him that the ingredients in beer (not the water!) was effecting his arm. He quit beer and his arm improved; after he retired, he had no urge to go back.

After chatting for a while with some customers about Goose’s chances of getting into the Hall of Fame, I figured it was a good time to meet him. I approached the table with my Burger King poster of the 1978 Yankees. I previously had Graig Nettles sign it and wished I also had Sparky Lyle sign it instead of the Yankee program I had him sign last year Anyway, as I was unrolling the poster and flattening it out on the table, I gave Goose a 2"x 2.5" 1982 Topps sticker that had been part of my collection.. In the photo Goose was wearing Yankee pinstripes and posed as if ready to deliver a pitch. After assuring the ‘table guard’ that I wasn’t trying to slip in another item for autograph, Goose accepted it, looking at it for a short while. A brief smile appeared on his face — memories of earlier days, perhaps?

I decided to stick around for awhile and watch other fans reactions. A group of young girls, about 8-10 years old had just arrived with their mothers. Carrying home-made posters with pictures and messages welcoming Goose to Utica, the girls went up to the table and Goose chatted with them for a while. After photos, he thanked them for stopping by to see him and making him feel welcomed.

I noticed that the sticker I gave him, rather than getting stuffed in a pocket to become forgotten or disposed of, was still resting on the table next to his right hand. Assured that it would be OK for me to have another picture taken, I asked if he would hold up the sticker for the pose. What a great shot! Once again, I shook his hand and thanked him, "You were great!", referring to his career; and then corrected myself almost as the words were being said, "I mean you are still great!"

It was during Goose’s rookie year that he previously found himself in Utica, staying overnight on his team’s way to the annual Hall of Fame game. He actually had a rather humorous, as well as frightful, experience that you can read about in his just released book The Goose is Loose.

While Goose brought back memories, that day, of a late 70’s Yankee powerhouse team, with Nettles, Randolph, Jackson, Piniella, Munson, Guidry, Lyle, Hunter, White, Chambliss and Jay Johnstone (OK, guess I went too far with Jay), another great Yankee powerhouse also came to memory. On that same day, Mark McGuire passed my hero Mickey Mantle on his way up the ladder of all time home run leaders.




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