Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
The decades-long roller coaster of a relationship between baseball legends Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry has taken a monumental, and very public, turn—and the seeds of the latest installment in their fiery relationship can be seen in a recent (Judd Apatow-directed) ESPN 30 For 30 installment.
A recap: last week Gooden failed to show at a WFAN event with other former Mets. The ’85 Cy Young winner blamed his failure to appear on “minor” health issues, but the brushed-off statement ignited a fiery comeback from former teammate (and current addiction center founder) Darryl Strawberry. The war of words (and statement releases) ultimately seems to support Strawberry and his position that Gooden’s life is in danger due to cocaine abuse. “[Dwight Gooden] is a complete junkie-addict,” Strawberry tells the NYDN.
The current series of events can be traced back to the ’80s, when Gooden and Strawberry achieved great on-field success with the New York Mets, as well as an equal amount of off-field infamy as they faced the effects of celebrating their achievements in the temptation-heavy environment of Manhattan nightlife.
That era, when the two were the talk of the five boroughs and the center of the Greatest City On Earth, is given the sharp 30 For 30 eye in Doc And Darryl.
The episode, co-directed by lifelong Mets fan Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio and released just last month, is uncannily timely, and provides a detailed background on the early stages of these two lives indelibly marked by remarkable achievements gained amid youth and money and fame.
[Where to watch 30 For 30: Doc And Darryl]
Photo of Doc Gooden and Darryl Strawberry in 2008 via Getty.
