(Originally published by the Daily News on August 26, 1985. This story was written by Jim Naughton.)
The youngest 20-game winner in the history of modern baseball was walking down the corridor toward the Met clubhouse. He was being trailed by television crews, buffetted by questions. He stopped in the middle of the corridor to shake hands with one of his fans.
The curly-haired man pumped the kid’s hand vigorously. “Congratulations,” he said. “You pitched a great game.”
“Thanks,” Dwight Gooden said. “Thanks a lot.”
It was a fairly standard scene: an athlete quietly acknowledging an ardent fan.