The Goose is Loose

I love to add autograph photos of Pirates of Yesteryear to my collection.  It makes it even sweeter when they are immortalized in the HOF.

Rich "Goose" Gossage played one season for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1977.  The only card featuring him in a Bucs uniform is from Hostess Baking Company.  His only season with the Bucs gave him an 11-9 record with 26 saves in 72 games.  He had a 1.62 ERA that season while pitching 133 innings.  The Goose would enter many games in the 6th or 7th inning and finish them out and helped to evolve what the current closer role is today.

Goose was elected into the HOF in 2008 for his 310 saves and 9 All-Star appearances.

I should send out my Hostess card to get signed by Goose.  I showed off the unsigned version in a previous post where I highlighted a bunch of Pirates players who have had animal nicknames.  If you didn't read that post, go check it out.