Rich Gossage Stats

Rich Gossage was born on Thursday, July 5, 1951, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Gossage was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 16, 1972, with the Chicago White Sox. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Rich Gossage baseball stats page.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"It is hard to explain what the feeling is like when you first put that Yankee uniform on. The New York pinstripes, it's all there. There is not another place like Yankee Stadium." - Gossage, Goose. Baseball Digest. March 1979. Page 14.

Rich Gossage

Rich 'Goose' Gossage Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#89)

Rich 'Goose' Gossage Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#89)

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Birth Name:   Richard Michael Gossage
Nickname:   Goose or Rich or The White Gorilla
Born On:   07-05-1951  (Cancer)
Place of Birth Data Born In:   Colorado Springs, Colorado
Year of Death Data Died On:   Still Living (1,000 Oldest Living)
Place of Death Data Died In:   Still Living
Cemetery:   n/a
High School:   Wasson High School (Colorado Springs, CO)
College:   None Attended
Batting Stances Chart Bats:   Right   Throwing Arms Chart Throws:   Right
Player Height Chart Height:   6-03   Player Weight Chart Weight:   217
First Game:   04-16-1972 (Age 20)
Last Game:   08-08-1994
Draft:   1970 : 9th Round (198th) / Signing Bonus = $8,000

Rich Gossage

Rich Gossage Pitching Stats

1972 21 White Sox 36 1 7 7 1 .875 4.28 0 0 2 80.0 352 72 38 44 2 44 3 57 7 4 0 -
1973 22 White Sox 20 4 4 0 4 .000 7.43 1 0 0 49.2 232 57 41 44 9 37 2 33 6 3 0 -
1974 23 White Sox 39 3 19 4 6 .400 4.13 0 0 1 89.1 397 92 41 45 4 47 7 64 2 2 1 -
1975 24 White Sox 62 0 49 9 8 .529 1.84 0 0 26 141.2 582 99 29 32 3 70 15 130 3 5 0 -
1976 25 White Sox 31 29 1 9 17 .346 3.94 15 0 1 224.0 956 214 98 104 16 90 3 135 6 9 0 -
1977 26 Pirates 72 0 55 11 9 .550 1.62 0 0 26 133.0 523 78 24 27 9 49 6 151 2 2 0 -
1978 27 Yankees 63 0 55 10 11 .476 2.01 0 0 27 134.1 543 87 30 41 9 59 8 122 5 2 0 -
1979 28 Yankees 36 0 33 5 3 .625 2.62 0 0 18 58.1 234 48 17 18 5 19 4 41 3 0 0 -
1980 29 Yankees 64 0 58 6 2 .750 2.27 0 0 33 99.0 401 74 25 29 5 37 3 103 4 1 0 -
1981 30 Yankees 32 0 30 3 2 .600 0.77 0 0 20 46.2 173 22 4 6 2 14 1 48 1 1 0 -
1982 31 Yankees 56 0 43 4 5 .444 2.23 0 0 30 93.0 356 63 23 23 5 28 5 102 1 0 0 -
1983 32 Yankees 57 0 47 13 5 .722 2.27 0 0 22 87.1 367 82 22 27 5 25 5 90 0 1 0 -
1984 33 Padres 62 0 51 10 6 .625 2.90 0 0 25 102.1 412 75 33 34 6 36 4 84 2 1 2 -
1985 34 Padres 50 0 38 5 3 .625 1.82 0 0 26 79.0 308 64 16 21 1 17 1 52 0 1 0 -
1986 35 Padres 45 0 38 5 7 .417 4.45 0 0 21 64.2 281 69 32 36 8 20 0 63 4 2 0 -
1987 36 Padres 40 0 30 5 4 .556 3.12 0 0 11 52.0 217 47 18 18 4 19 6 44 2 0 0 -
1988 37 Cubs 46 0 33 4 4 .500 4.33 0 0 13 43.2 194 50 21 23 3 15 5 30 3 3 2 -
1989 38 Giants 31 0 22 2 1 .667 2.68 0 0 4 43.2 182 32 13 16 2 27 3 24 2 0 0 -
1989 38 Yankees 11 0 6 1 0 1.000 3.77 0 0 1 14.1 56 14 6 6 0 3 1 6 1 1 0 -
1991 40 Rangers 44 0 16 4 2 .667 3.57 0 0 1 40.1 167 33 16 16 4 16 1 28 3 3 0 -
1992 41 Athletics 30 0 13 0 2 .000 2.84 0 0 0 38.0 163 32 12 13 5 19 4 26 0 2 0 -
1993 42 Athletics 39 0 12 4 5 .444 4.53 0 0 1 47.2 213 49 24 24 6 26 2 40 4 1 0 -
1994 43 Mariners 36 0 21 3 0 1.000 4.18 0 0 1 47.1 197 44 22 23 6 15 1 29 2 3 0 -
22 Years 1,002 37 681 124 107 .537 3.01 16 0 310 1,809.1 7,506 1,497 605 670 119 732 90 1,502 63 47 5 -

Rich Gossage

Rich Gossage Hitting Stats

1972 21 White Sox 36 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 1 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000
1973 22 White Sox 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1974 23 White Sox 39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1975 24 White Sox 62 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1976 25 White Sox 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1977 26 Pirates 72 23 0 5 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 8 1 0 0 0 .217 .250 .261
1978 27 Yankees 63 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1979 28 Yankees 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1980 29 Yankees 64 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1981 30 Yankees 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1982 31 Yankees 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1983 32 Yankees 57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1984 33 Padres 62 22 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 8 2 0 0 0 .182 .217 .182
1985 34 Padres 50 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 0 0 0 0 .000 .154 .000
1986 35 Padres 45 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000
1987 36 Padres 40 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1988 37 Cubs 46 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1989 38 Giants 31 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1989 38 Yankees 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1991 40 Rangers 44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1992 41 Athletics 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1993 42 Athletics 39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
1994 43 Mariners 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
22 Years 1,003 85 1 9 1 0 0 0 2 4 0 37 4 0 0 2 .106 .146 .118

Rich Gossage

Rich Gossage Fielding Stats

1972 White Sox P 36 1 240 14 0.4 13 3 10 1 1 n/a n/a n/a .929 1.46
1973 White Sox P 20 4 149 11 0.6 10 5 5 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .909 1.81
1974 White Sox P 39 3 268 19 0.5 17 3 14 2 1 n/a n/a n/a .895 1.71
1975 White Sox P 62 0 425 31 0.5 28 3 25 3 3 n/a n/a n/a .903 1.78
1976 White Sox P 31 29 672 48 1.5 45 18 27 3 1 n/a n/a n/a .938 1.81
1977 Pirates P 72 0 399 15 0.2 14 4 10 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .933 0.95
1978 Yankees P 63 0 403 21 0.3 18 6 12 3 0 n/a n/a n/a .857 1.21
1979 Yankees P 36 0 175 5 0.1 5 1 4 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.77
1980 Yankees P 64 0 297 13 0.2 11 1 10 2 0 n/a n/a n/a .846 1.00
1981 Yankees P 32 0 140 10 0.3 9 2 7 1 1 n/a n/a n/a .900 1.74
1982 Yankees P 56 0 279 8 0.1 8 2 6 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.77
1983 Yankees P 57 0 262 6 0.1 5 2 3 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .833 0.52
1984 Padres P 62 0 307 13 0.2 13 5 8 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.14
1985 Padres P 50 0 237 7 0.1 7 0 7 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.80
1986 Padres P 45 0 194 7 0.2 7 2 5 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.97
1987 Padres P 40 0 156 7 0.2 7 2 5 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.21
1988 Cubs P 46 0 131 8 0.2 8 1 7 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.65
1989 Giants P 31 0 131 9 0.3 8 5 3 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .889 1.65
1989 Yankees P 11 0 43 3 0.3 3 2 1 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.88
1991 Rangers P 44 0 121 5 0.1 4 2 2 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .800 0.89
1992 Athletics P 30 0 114 6 0.2 6 2 4 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.42
1993 Athletics P 39 0 143 9 0.2 8 5 3 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .889 1.51
1994 Mariners P 36 0 142 4 0.1 4 2 2 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 0.76
P Totals 1,002 37 5,428 279 0.3 258 78 180 21 11 n/a n/a n/a .925 1.28
22 Years 1,002 37 5,428 279 0.3 258 78 180 21 11 n/a n/a n/a .925 1.28

Rich Gossage

Rich Gossage Miscellaneous Stats

1972 White Sox 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 1.5 0.0 1.30 6.41 4.95
1973 White Sox 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.89 5.98 6.70
1974 White Sox 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.36 6.45 4.74
1975 White Sox 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.86 8.26 4.45
1976 White Sox 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.50 5.42 3.62
1977 Pirates 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.9 11.5 3.08 10.22 3.32
1978 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.07 8.17 3.95
1979 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.16 6.33 2.93
1980 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.78 9.36 3.36
1981 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.43 9.26 2.70
1982 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.64 9.87 2.71
1983 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.60 9.27 2.58
1984 Padres 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.8 0.0 2.33 7.39 3.17
1985 Padres 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.2 0.0 3.06 5.92 1.94
1986 Padres 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.3 0.0 3.15 8.77 2.78
1987 Padres 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 2.0 0.0 2.32 7.62 3.29
1988 Cubs 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.00 6.18 3.09
1989 Giants 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.89 4.95 5.56
1989 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.00 3.77 1.88
1991 Rangers 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.75 6.25 3.57
1992 Athletics 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.37 6.16 4.50
1993 Athletics 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.54 7.55 4.91
1994 Mariners 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.93 5.51 2.85
22 Years 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0.0 2.3 42.5 2.05 7.47 3.64

Rich Gossage

Rich Gossage Miscellaneous Items of Interest

1972 Chicago White Sox 54 $13,500.00 - -
1973 Chicago White Sox 54 $17,000.00 - -
1974 Chicago White Sox 54 $19,500.00 - -
1975 Chicago White Sox 54 $35,500.00 Stats -
1976 Chicago White Sox 54 $35,500.00 Stats -
1977 Pittsburgh Pirates 54 $46,800.00 Stats -
1978 New York Yankees 54 $458,000.00 Stats Stats
1979 New York Yankees 54 $458,000.00 - -
1980 New York Yankees 54 $458,000.00 Stats -
1981 New York Yankees 54 $458,000.00 Stats Stats
1982 New York Yankees 54 $458,000.00 Stats -
1983 New York Yankees 54 $458,000.00 - -
1984 San Diego Padres 54 $1,713,333.00 Stats Stats
1985 San Diego Padres 54 $1,713,333.00 Stats -
1986 San Diego Padres 54 $1,046,761.00 - -
1987 San Diego Padres 54 $1,273,904.00 - -
1988 Chicago Cubs 54 $1,331,532.00 - -
1989 San Francisco Giants 54 $68,000.00 - -
1989 New York Yankees 54 $1,250,000.00 - -
1991 Texas Rangers 54 $450,000.00 - -
1992 Oakland Athletics 54 $300,000.00 - -
1993 Oakland Athletics 54 $325,000.00 - -
1994 Seattle Mariners 54 $300,000.00 - n/a

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Richard Michael Gossage was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Chicago White Sox (1972-1976), Pittsburgh Pirates (1977), New York Yankees (1978-1983), San Diego Padres (1984-1987), Chicago Cubs (1988), San Francisco Giants (1989), New York Yankees (1989), Texas Rangers (1991), Oakland Athletics (1992-1993) and Seattle Mariners (1994). Goose, his nickname, had a blistering fastball and one of the pioneers in the field of modern day closers.

Goose Gossage Rookie Card | Baseball Almanac

Goose Gossage Rookie Card | 1973 Topps Baseball Card (#174 | Checklist)
Baseball Almanac Research Library

Did you know that Goose Gossage, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, was one of only five relief pitchers at the time of his induction? Those who paved the way before him were Hoyt Wilhelm (1985), Rollie Fingers (1992), Dennis Eckersley (2004) and Bruce Sutter (2006).

Goose Gossage Hall of Fame Plaque

Goose Gossage | National Baseball Hall of Fame Plaque | Class of 2008 (HOF)

Goose Gossage hung up his cleats with 310 saves, a relatively low number in modern baseball history (Top 1,000), but at the time of his retirement, Rich was fourth all-time in history behind Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and Lee Smith. He was also only the third pitcher (first two ever were Hoyt Wilhelm and Kent Tekulve) to appear in 1,000 different games at that point in baseball history (Top 1,000). Which one is it? Rich or Goose? Well in his rookie season, Rich had a roommate named Tom Bradley who said he looked like a goose when he leaned in to get the signs, a life-long nickname was created! Source: Goose Gossage!

Goose Gossage Photo

Goose Gossage | Sports Illustrated Publicity Photo | October 1980
Baseball Almanac Research Library