A Battle For the Ages

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Gossage still sells his glory days for a living, giving speeches and working memorabilia shows. To the shrinks, that may be too much living in the past. Even Gossage might concede that after his youngest son Todd, a third baseman, finishes his senior season at the University of Central Arkansas this spring, it will be time to move on. Gossage contemplates coaching. While that would still connect him to a game he feels has betrayed him, experts say it is a healthy pursuit in which he has much to offer.

In the end, Gossage will probably be enshrined anyway. Hurling shots at Hall voters isn't the sharpest political strategy--"I called him up and told him to shut up," says Bill Madden, 59, a veteran New York Daily News scribe and Gossage supporter. "He might p.o. somebody who was inclined to vote for him." But Gossage has steadily gained ground. Nearly 65% of voters gave him the nod this year, and no player with that level of support has failed to get in eventually (players need 75% for induction, and can remain on the ballot for 15 years. Rice, the ex--Red Sox slugger, also notched close to 65%). "Dominance at a position in your time is the best indication you're a Hall of Famer," says Jack O'Connell, 57, secretary-treasurer of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "I don't think there's any question that the dominant reliever in the American League and, for a period, in the National League, in his time was Goose Gossage." Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Hall of Fame locks, will crowd next year's ballot; 2008 may be Goose's shot. "All I want to do is make it right," Gossage says. He can start by moving on.