Daryl Strawberry and Mookie Wilson talk about the 1986 Pennant versus Houston.
Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is well-known both for his play on the baseball field and for his controversial behavior off of it.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the game, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter’s box with his 6-foot-6 frame and his long, looping swing. During his 17-year career, he helped lead the New York Mets to one World Series championship in 1986 and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999.
A popular player during his career, Strawberry was voted to the All-Star Game eight straight times from 1984-1991.
In 1985, despite missing 40 games due to an injury to his right thumb, he hit 29 home runs but the Mets fell 5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East.
In 1986, Strawberry hit 27 homers and had 99 RBIs as the Mets won the 1986 World Series.
Strawberry signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1991, inking a lucrative five-year $22.25 million contract. In California, he was named Big Brother of The Year for that year. After hitting 28 home runs and bringing in 99 runs batted in a successful first year for the Dodgers, injuries and personal problems kept him sidelined for much of the next two seasons, hitting five home runs in each season.
William Hayward “Mookie” Wilson (born February 9, 1956) played with the New York Mets (1980–89) and Toronto Blue Jays (1989–91). He was a switch hitter, known for his impressive speed and positive attitude. Fans would frequently chant “Mooooo-kie” in appreciation of him.
Born in Bamberg, South Carolina, Wilson played college baseball at Spartanburg Methodist College and then the University of South Carolina. Later, in 1996, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Mercy College in New York.
In twelve seasons, Wilson was a .274 hitter with 67 home runs, 438 RBI, and 327 stolen bases in 1403 games. Wilson held the Mets record for career stolen bases (281) and career triples (62) until Jose Reyes broke both marks during the 2008 season.
Wilson is the batter who, in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, avoided being hit by a wild pitch, allowing the tying run to score in the bottom of the 10th. His ground ball later in the same at bat went through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, allowing the winning run to score. The ball that rolled through Buckner’s legs is now housed in the Seth Swirsky baseball collection.
When the Mets decided to rebuild, Wilson requested a trade. The Mets accommodated him by trading him to the Blue Jays in exchange for Jeff Musselman and Mike Brady on August 1, 1989.
Wilson was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2005, Wilson managed the single A team Brooklyn Cyclones. Previously, he managed the Rookie League Kingsport Mets team and was a coach for the New York Mets from 1997 to 2002.
In 1999, Wilson obtained a license to drive tractor-trailer trucks and began hauling freight in the offseason, a job he stated his intention to keep if and when he left professional baseball.
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