The Mets alumni family lost another member this weekend. Greg Goosen, a catcher who made his major league debut with the 1965 Mets at the age of 19, died on Saturday at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He was 65.
Goosen did not have a long or illustrious Mets career. Legendary Mets manager Casey Stengel reportedly said about him:
“This is Greg Goossen. He’s 19 years old, and in 10 years he’s got a chance to be 29.”
Goosen also played for the Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Senators before leaving baseball in 1971.
His post-baseball life sounds like it was interesting, though. Goosen was a private detective, was involved in boxing and worked as a stand-in for actor Gene Hackman in a variety of films.
Goosen was to be inducted into the Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High School Hall of Fame the night that he died.
My thoughts are with his family and friends.
[Sources: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times blog, Baseball-Reference.com, SI Vault]
PaulHadsall.com 
That’s terrible news. It’s been a rough weekend for the Mets family. Thank you for sharing Goosen’s story.
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