Gooden Offers Apology to Florida Neighbors

With two zealous lawyers deflecting all questions pertaining to his arrest, pitcher Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets held a news conference Friday to wish his supporters a Merry Christmas and apologize to neighbors for creating a disturbance.

Reporters jammed into the office of Gooden’s agent, Jim Neader. In Gooden’s first public appearance since he and four friends were arrested Saturday night after a scuffle with police, Gooden was accompanied by Neader and attorneys Charles Ehrlich and Ron Cacciatore.

Gooden, who is still awaiting an arraignment date for the three counts pending against him, appeared nervous and reticent, often looking toward his attorneys before answering. The only visible sign of his altercation with Tampa police was a bloodshot left eye.

“First, I’d like to say Merry Christmas to all my friends,” Gooden said. “And I’d like to apologize to my neighborhood for all the disturbances I’ve caused. I’m feeling fine and I’m ready to start working out for the 1987 season. I’m looking forward to spending the holidays with my family here in Tampa. I still like Tampa and I’d like to continue to make it my home.”

Cacciatore and Ehrlich took turns shielding their client from questions that related to the case against Gooden. Both attorneys confirmed that they have had discussions with the prosecutor’s office about the charges against Gooden--battery on a police officer, resisting arrest with force and disorderly conduct.

“There is no deal being worked out, there’s just been contact,” Cacciatore said. “I would figure if this was a case without someone in the public eye, it might take three weeks to get to all of the facts of the case.”

Gooden said he has received telephone calls from several teammates asking about his physical condition but said his only contact with club management has been through daily calls from Jay Horwitz, the team’s public relations director.

“This thing has probably been tougher on my family than it has been for myself,” Gooden said. “A lot of the neighborhood kids that I play catch with have come around the house, and I tell them it’s all a misunderstanding. There’s a little bitterness left because nobody wants to go through this, but it’ll get better. I don’t think all this will have any effect on me on the field.”

The 1985 National League Cy Young Award winner, who slipped to 17 victories last season, said he harbored mixed emotions when the season ended.

“It was a sweet and sour feeling,” he said. “I was a little upset I didn’t get a win in the World Series, but I was happy we won the championship. I put a lot of pressure on myself in 1986 and tried to do too much.”