The 1986 New York Mets certainly had their share of odd characters. Drugs, alcohol and mayhem were a big part of the Mets' World Series winning team. But one urban legend has been consistently denied by outfielder Kevin Mitchell. The story goes that he decapitated his girlfriend's cat during an argument. Pitcher Dwight "Doc" Gooden alleged such in his 1999 book Heat and recently Daryl Strawberry confirmed it.
While Kevin Mitchell still denies he ever committed such a gruesome act, former teammate Daryl Strawberry says it happened (via Huffington Post):
"'That's a pretty good story. I think that's pretty accurate,' Strawberry told host Marc Lamont Hill. 'Kevin Mitchell did do that. Kevin Mitchell, he's a different type of guy. Great guy, super teammate...I guess he figured that the girlfriend was acting a little crazy, so I'll kill her cat.'"
Strawberry, who was plugging a book of his own, has had his share of personal demons, including problems with drugs and alcohol.
He was promoting a book called The Imperfect Marriage: Help For Those Who Think It's Over.
The '86 Mets were full of people with sundry personal baggage, but Mitchell feels he was unfairly targeted.
He evens says his 1986 trade was due to his allegedly being a bad influence on young, impressionable players like Doc Gooden and Daryl Strawberry (via New York Daily News):
"In New York, they used me as a scapegoat for them," Mitchell said. "I was the bad seed, they said."
While the truth may never be discovered whether Mitchell killed a cat, the legacy of the '86 Mets lives on, and the memory of a bygone era reminds us that the past never really leaves us. It just grows more unwieldy the further it gets from us.
What do you think?
Tell us your thoughts in the comment field below.
© 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
