
Hall of Famer Goose Gossage will be the 2026 OTBA Banquet Speaker
GOOSE GOSSAGE played 21 seasons for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres, before retiring in 1994.
In the late 1970's and early 1980's, Goose Gossage was one of the earliest manifestations of the dominating closer, with wild facial hair and a gruff demeanor to go along with his blistering fastball.
During his career, Gossage pitched in 1,002 games and finished 681 of them and earned 310 saves. He made nine All-Star appearances and pitched in three World Series. He led the American League in saves in 1975 (26), 1978 (27) and 1980 (33). He holds the New York Yankees career record for ERA (2.14) and hits per nine innings (6.59).
One difference between Gossage and more recent closers is that Gossage often pitched as many as three innings to finish a game, while modern closers typically pitch the ninth inning only.
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BORN: July 5, 1951 Colorado Springs, Colorado
HEIGHT: 6'3" WEIGHT: 225 BATS: R THROWS: R
HIGH SCHOOL: Wasson (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Browse Photos From The 87th OTBA Banquet held on Jan. 19, 2025.
The Banquet was held at Music City Sheraton. Over 500 guest were in attendance.
PREVIOUS BANQUET SPEAKERS
2025 Don Mattingly
2024 Ken Griffey, Sr
2023 Brian Jordan
2022 Tommy John
2021 Bucky Dent
2020 Marty Brennaman
2019 Sonny Gray
2018 Gaylord Perry
2017 Ferguson Jenkins
2016 Rollie Fingers
2015 Dale Murphy
2014 Bobby Richardson
2013 Bill Buckner
2012 Lance Parrish
2011 Doc Gooden
2010 Rick Dempsey
2009 Harmon Killebrew
2008 Orestes Destrade
2007 R. A. Dickey
2006 Joe West
2005 Steve Liddle
2004 Steve Lyons
2003 Tim Corbin
2002 Scott Sanderson
2001 Jim Cosman
2000 Buck O'Neil, Bill White
1999 Rick Honeycutt
1998 Gene Lamont
1997 Paul Snyder
1996 George Digby
1995 Scotti Madison
1994 Tommy Lasorda
1993 Bill Gullickson
1992 Buck Showalter
1991 Bob Quinn
1990 Syd Thrift
1989 Frank Lucchesi
1988 Phil Niekro
1987 Bob Montgomery
1986 Dave Bristol
1985 Ed Bailey
1984 Lefty Gomez
1983 Bob Turley, Russ Nixon
1982 Whitey Ford
1981 Mel Allen
1980 George Steinbrenner
1979 Joe Nuxhall
1978 Lefty Gomez
1977 Carl Sawatski
1976 Rip Sewell
1975 Smoky Burgess
1974 Ralph Houk, Lee MacPhail
1973 Harry Walker
1972 Bob Feller
1971 Bob Ueker
1970 Rube Walker
1969 Milo Hamilton
1968 Eddie Stanky
1967 Ernie Johnson
1966 Bobby Bragan
1965 Eddie Glennon
1964 Dixie Walker
1963 John Fitzgerald
1962 Larry Goetz
1961 Del Wilber
1960 Kerby Farrell
1959 Buddy Blattner
1958 Jimmy Dykes
1957 Kerby Farrell
1956 Gabe Paul
1955 Joe Engel
1954 Rip Collins
1953 Eddie Glennon
1952 Hugh Poland, Hub Perdue