Goose Makes it to Cooperstown

In his ninth attempt Rich "Goose" Gossage is finally elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played for nine teams over his twenty-two year Major League career. He even spent one year (1990) in Japan playing for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Goose was a nine-time all-star, and finished his career with going 124-107, with 310 saves, and a 3.01 ERA. The induction ceremony will be on July 27th.

Like most great players who spend any time in the Bronx he is best known for those years wearing Yankee pinstripes.

"It is hard to explain what the feeling is like when you first put that Yankee uniform on. The New York pin stripes, it's all there. There is not another place like Yankee Stadium." - Goose Gossage in Baseball Digest (March 1979)

Congratulations to Rich "Goose" Gossage, HOF class of 2008.

Update 11:40 PM - George Steinbrenner has issued a statement about Goose:

“The Baseball Hall of Fame was really on the ball today in their selection of my close friend, Goose Gossage. Goose was a fierce competitor and one of the all-time great pitchers, who in his career, set a new standard for relief pitching. The New York Yankees are very proud of his achievement and I, personally, would like to congratulate him and his family on this wonderful honor!”