'Goose' redefined relief pitcher's role

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y -- For more than two decades, Rich "Goose" Gossage unnerved batters as one of baseball's most menacing and dominating relief pitchers.

On Sunday, it was his turn for the jitters.

"This experience is overwhelming, over the top; I can't put in words what this means," Gossage told a decidedly New York Yankees crowd during the National Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony that capped his 22-year career.

Gossage had to pause twice to collect his thoughts -- including once when he was moved to tears talking about his late teammates Thurman Munson and Bobby Murcer.

"I'm like a kid going on his first ride at Disney World and not getting off for 22 years," said Gossage, 57, whose speech was interspersed with choruses of "Goose" from the crowd.

Dick Williams -- one of Gossage's former managers -- also was inducted Sunday. Williams managed six teams in 21-year career, winning the World Series with the Oakland Athletics in 1972 and 1973. He also won league pennants with the Boston Red Sox in 1967 and the San Diego Padres in 1984.

"It's hard to believe that at age 79, this has to be one of my most memorable times," said Williams, whose 1,571 wins are good for 17th place all-time.

More than 14,000 people watched the ceremony, including a record 56 of the 64 living Hall of Famers.

Gossage was elected in January on his ninth try -- almost unimaginable given his pioneering place in the evolution of today's relief pitcher.

Gossage, who entered the hall wearing a New York Yankees cap, retired in 1994 with a 124-107 record, 1,502 strikeouts and 3.01 ERA in 1,002 games. He ranks third in wins in relief (115) and third in innings pitched in relief (1,556).

Of his 310 career saves, Gossage worked more than two innings 52 times. In contrast, before the 2008 season, New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera had done that once in 443 saves; San Diego's Trevor Hoffman, the career saves leader, has never done it.

In 125 of his saves, Gossage recorded at least six outs.

Gossage, a nine-time All-Star, joins Bruce Sutter, Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley as relievers in Cooperstown.