1986 NY Mets Greats Doc Gooden & Mookie Wilson Q&a Tickets

In the world of baseball, there are certain names that are synonymous with greatness. Two such names are Doc Gooden and Mookie Wilson, both of whom were key players on the 1986 New York Mets team that is considered one of the best in the history of the sport. These two legends recently sat down for a Q&A session to discuss their experiences playing together and some of the memorable moments from that unforgettable season.

Doc Gooden began by talking about the camaraderie and chemistry that made the Mets so successful in 1986. He noted that everyone on the team was committed to winning and had each other's backs both on and off the field. Mookie Wilson added that the team truly believed that they could come back from any deficit, no matter how impossible it seemed. That confidence was evident in Game 6 of the World Series, when the Mets rallied from two runs down to win in extra innings against the Boston Red Sox.

The conversation then turned to individual achievements. Gooden was asked about his 1985 season, when he won the National League Cy Young Award as a 20-year-old rookie. He admitted that he didn't fully grasp the magnitude of the award at the time, but said that it was a huge honor to be recognized alongside some of the game's all-time greats. Wilson, meanwhile, reflected on his speed and ability to get on base, noting that his speed helped create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Of course, no conversation about the 1986 Mets would be complete without discussing the infamous Bill Buckner play. With the Red Sox leading in Game 6 of the World Series and only one out away from winning their first championship since 1918, a routine ground ball rolled through Buckner's legs, allowing the Mets to tie the game and eventually win in extra innings. Both Gooden and Wilson acknowledged that while they felt bad for Buckner, the play was a turning point in the series and helped propel the Mets to victory.

The Q&A ended with Gooden and Wilson discussing their post-baseball careers. Gooden has struggled with addiction issues, but says that he's now been sober for a decade thanks in part to his work as a drug counselor. Wilson, meanwhile, has remained involved in baseball as a coach and ambassador for the game. Both men expressed their gratitude for the opportunities they had as players and the moments they shared together on the 1986 Mets team.

In many ways, Doc Gooden and Mookie Wilson represent what made the 1986 Mets so special: a combination of talent, camaraderie, and an unbreakable belief in themselves. While their playing days may be over, their legacy lives on as two of the greatest players ever to don the orange and blue of the New York Mets.