Hall of Fame's Gossage recalls rocky start

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The boos rained down on Rich "Goose" Gossage when he was introduced to the fans at Yankee Stadium on his home debut for the team he cheered on as a kid.

Baseball's newest Hall of Famer recalled on Wednesday how he "stunk out the joint" before turning his 1978 season around and helping the New York Yankees complete an historic comeback and claim a World Series title.

Fireballing reliever Gossage said he lost three games on the road before the home opener and fans expressed displeasure at the closer brought in to replace the popular Sparky Lyle.

"They booed (pitcher) Kenny Holtzman, the fans here hated Kenny Holtzman," Gossage told reporters at a news conference. "The fans booed him relentlessly. He was number 53. They introduced us numerically, and I was 54.

"I ran out and I brought the house down. I had tears in my eyes. Standing there looking around. I said to myself 'I'm going to change these boos into cheers.'"

It did not happen overnight for Gossage, who played for nine teams in a 22-year career but whose Cooperstown plaque will picture him in a Yankees cap.

"I struggled mightily the first two months of the season," said the big right-hander, whose droopy moustache, glowering scowl and 98 mph fastball intimidated batters.

"I put so much pressure on myself. I stunk the joint up."

PRESSURE

Gossage said fan disenchantment stretched beyond jeers.

"In that little pinstriped car that used to bring us to the mound from the bullpen, we had to turn on the windshield wipers because they were pelting me with everything they had in their hands -- soda, beers, cotton candy, popcorn.

"We had to turn the windshield wipers on to see where the hell we were going."

However, Gossage got on track and the Yankees, who fell 14 games behind arch-rivals Boston Red Sox by July, came storming back. They finished the season tied with the Red Sox and went to Boston for a one-game playoff to decide who would advance.

Gossage, who ended up with a 10-11 mark with 27 saves, and a 2.01 ERA in 134 innings, got the final out in a 5-4 win, retiring Carl Yastrzemski on a pop up to Graig Nettles.

"That was the biggest pressure I ever pitched in," he said.