Special Feature: Strawberry Fields Forever

There have only been a handful of players in Mets history that can be referred to by first name only. One of these is Darryl. Colorful, exciting and controversial, the life of Darryl Strawberry resembles a Shakespearean Tragedy. He thrived playing major league baseball, battled personal demons, defeated drug and alcohol addiction and encountered legal problems. His fall from grace was monumental. But his life has come full circle. On May 6, 1983 Tom Seaver took the mound for the Mets against fireballer Mario Soto and the Reds. It should have been billed as a pitching duel but the spotlight that day was on a highly touted prospect named Darryl Strawberry. Never in the history of the Mets had a rookie appeared on the scene with such hype and promise. Signed #1 in 1980, the Mets were planning on building a future around this 18 year-old "kid." He was hailed as a "cant miss prospect." Others referred to him as "The Black Ted Williams." Darryl was already c...