Darryl Strawberry is not sorry about where life’s meandering path has finally led him. He does not feel regret for the past. He does, nonetheless, consider the possibilities.
It is a well-known story. The man known as “Straw” was not just a baseball great in the 1980s; he was also one of the most well-known athletes of all time, having gone from being a high school sensation in Los Angeles to the top of the sports world in New York.
Over the course of 17 seasons in the major leagues, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1980 MLB Draft played for four different clubs, blasted 335 home runs, recorded an.862 OPS, and drove in exactly 1,000 runs. In addition to winning four World Series titles, Strawberry was selected to eight straight All-Star teams, placed in the top 10 MVP votes four times between 1987 and 1991, and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
He did a great deal of damage to opposition pitchers wearing the orange and blue of the Mets. He has held the title of organization’s all-time home run leader (252), having held it since April 30, 1988. And on June 1, the Mets will retire Strawberry’s No. 18, despite their frequently tumultuous relationship during his time in the Big Apple.
Thirty-one-year-old Strawberry, nine seasons into his major league career, finished the 1991 season with the Dodgers with 280 roundtrippers, a.875 OPS, a 144 OPS+, and an average of 36 home runs, 108 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases.
Cooperstown appeared to be a secure wager until it didn’t.
Strawberry’s life story and her trek through the Majors have been extensively studied and chronicled. Ultimately, his career was ended by alcoholism, drug abuse, tax fraud, jail time, and cancer. However, the trip started out just like any other.
in the Minor Leagues.
‘I was just Darryl’
Proving even the most talented of players face challenges, Strawberry’s introduction to professional baseball didn’t portend his rocky future, but it wasn’t easy. His selection as the first overall pick came as no surprise to those who knew about the 6-foot-6 specimen with the sweet left-handed swing, himself included.
“I was excited when I was drafted and signed with the Mets,” said Strawberry, now 61. “I used to see scouts at our [high school] games all the time, but I never felt like I was a big fish in a small pond. I was just Darryl. I owe a lot of that modesty to my [late] mother [Ruby Strawberry]. I never thought I was anything special during those years.”
In the summer of 1980, Strawberry made his debut with Rookie-level Kingsport in Tennessee, and he didn’t think his status as the number one pick warranted any more pressure. Though it was a far cry from his Los Angeles childhood, it was a great place to start his Minor League career.
“It was definitely a culture shock … no doubt about that,” Strawberry said. “There were probably more Black players on our team than in the stands. Coming from what was basically an all-Black high school, it was a different experience.”
Strawberry’s time in Kingsport was similar to many youngsters who were playing for the first time away from home. Calls to Mom every day, lots of tears, chats about wanting to go home. But he got used to it and has happy memories of his time with the K-Mets.
“The fans were really nice, and it’s something I was and still am grateful for as I look back on it,” Strawberry said. “[Manager] Chuck Hiller made it really easy for me. I felt like I was just one of the guys and that was really important. I was able to relax and just play my game.”
‘I didn’t really sign up for this’
In Single-A Lynchburg, Strawberry’s life changed dramatically the following year. It didn’t concern him that he was only 19 and starting his first full season as a professional with high expectations. Still, there were other aspects of his new life difficult for a Black youngster from the West Coast living in the South.
“It was a different time,” Strawberry recalled. “Even at that point, I mean, we’re not talking about the 1930s or 1940s, but there was a lot of racial things tossed my way. There were always guys in the stands in our own ballpark who wanted to just rag on me.”
It grew so horrible at times that he was on the verge of giving up. Strawberry was affected by the prejudice and slurs, but a manager and a teammate kept him levelheaded.
“I almost left that year, I really did,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘I didn’t really sign up for this.’ It was scary. I played ball in California and nobody ever said those types of things. I wanted to play baseball, not deal with this. Had it not been for [Lynchburg skipper] Gene [Dusan], I think I would have either quit or done something really stupid.
“Gene would come up to me in the dugout and say straight up, ‘Don’t ever look up [into the crowd]. Don’t listen to that foolishness because that isn’t who you are or what you’re about.’ I think he knew if I lost it, there could be a big problem.”
That year, Lloyd McClendon, a former major leaguer and manager, helped his colleague get through some difficult moments as well. McClendon was in his second pro season, similar to Strawberry, but with one major exception. McClendon was over three years older and played collegiate basketball.
“You knew he was a special talent, but he was so young and a bit rough around the edges,” McClendon said of Strawberry. “We bonded quickly and became good friends. Lynchburg wasn’t Los Angeles and it wasn’t [McClendon’s hometown] Gary, Ind. The culture was different and we had a tough time fitting in. Thank God we had each other.”
McClendon was old enough to know what Strawberry was going through.
“I think the pressure was a combination of things,” he said. “A young Black kid, the No. 1 pick and the money that came along with that. There were expectations from fans and other players alike that just wasn’t fair for someone that age.”
McClendon and Strawberry were teammates for only one season. In 123 games, Straw batted .255/.381/.429 with 13 home runs, 78 RBIs, and an.809 OPS for Lynchburg. In 1982, he was promoted to Double-A Jackson, where he worked with manager Dusan. That being said, the two athletes stayed close throughout their careers.
“He made mistakes just like the rest of us, but he was willing to listen,” McClendon said. “I think he respected my opinion and I would tell him like it was. We had a great relationship.”
‘1982 is when I became a ballplayer’
Strawberry’s comfort level in the Texas League helped him gain a permanent Major League position the following year. Strawberry arrived in the league in 1982. Strawberry, who was only 20 years old, dominated the circuit and won the MVP award in the Texas League after hitting.283/.419/.602 with 45 stolen bases, 97 RBIs, and 34 home runs.
The transition from prospect Darryl Strawberry to superstar Straw was almost complete.
“I grew up a lot in 1982,” he said. “Gene was the turning point for me. He kept my heart in the right place and allowed me to grow and just play. It was a really wonderful time. … I was like his son. He took me everywhere with his family. He didn’t have to do that. He was a white manager and I was a Black player. He saw me as a son and I’m so grateful for that. 1982 is when I became a ballplayer.”
Strawberry spent just 16 games with Tidewater after starting the following season at Triple-A. Less than three years after graduating from high school, the newest star in New York had arrived.
Seldom is success a straight line. Even under the best of circumstances, it wasn’t for Strawberry, but the Minors set the stage for an on-field career any player could be proud of, even if it fell short of perhaps unrealistic expectations.
“I really enjoyed my time as a Minor Leaguer,” Strawberry said. “Riding the bus, especially those long rides in the Texas League where you’re on the road for 14 hours. I enjoyed that experience. I played with a lot of good players and made a lot of friends. I felt like I was just one of the guys.”