PDA

View Full Version : Lenny Dykstra


honey_comb1
09-25-2005, 05:40 PM
Lenny Dykstra

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/honey_comb1/FrdsCeleb%20Pictures/LennyDykstraCloseup.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/honey_comb1/FrdsCeleb%20Pictures/udtt04_lennydynstra_mets_88.jpg

Leonard Kyle Dykstra (Nails or Dude)
Bats Left, Throws Left
Height 5' 10", Weight 167 lb.
Debut May 3, 1985
Final Game May 18, 1996
Born February 10, 1963 in Santa Ana, CA

Drafted by the New York Mets in the 13th round of the 1981 amateur draft.
Nicknamed "Nails" for his scrappy style of play,Lenny Dykstra did everything all out!

He worked hard, played hard, and partied hard. An integral member of the brash Mets
of the mid-1980s and the blue-collar Phillies of the early 1990s, Dykstra epitomized the
gritty leadoff hitter, blossoming to use power as well as speed in his repertoire.


Dykstra rose through the Mets' farm system to become their part-time leadoff hitter and
center fielder in 1985, and in 1986 won the larger part of the role, thanks to steady fielding,
good speed and flashy, fan-pleasing catches. One of the Mets' "Partners in Grime" along
with second baseman Wally Backman, the pesky Dykstra helped ignite the Mets' offense from the top of the batting order.


Initially known for his slap singles-hitting style, Dykstra always longed to drive balls over the fence, and in the 1986 postseason the California native showed his first flashes of power. In the dramatic third game of the LCS, his two-run ninth-inning homer off Astros relief ace Dave Smith gave the Mets a 6-5 victory. After New York lost the first two games of the World Series, Dykstra's leadoff homer in Game Three sparked a 7-1 victory, and his two-run dinger off Boston right fielder Dwight Evans's glove in Game Four helped the Mets even a Series which they eventually won in seven games.

On Father's Day, 1989, the Mets shipped Dykstra and Roger McDowell to the Phillies for Juan Samuel.

Bulking up in the off-season, he quickly established himself as an offensive force in 1990, at or near the top of the NL in five major offensive categories.

In 1993, Dykstra enjoyed a career year, establishing individual highs in homers, RBIs, stolen bases, runs, and hits. In games where Dykstra scored, the Phils were 69-29 -- a large part of the reason the eclectic club (led by the madcap Mitch Williams and the slovenly John Kruk) went from worst to first.

Philadelphia lost the World Series in six games to the Toronto Blue Jays, but Dykstra batted at a .348 clip and whacked four homers, including two two-run shots in Game Four.

Throughout his career, Nails pushed himself to the limits, sliding and diving, playing hard baseball. Unfortunately, this led to frequent visits to the disabled list, including four broken bones, four knee surgeries, and a bad back that would eventually take him out of the game for good in 1996.

Having seen the excitement of many of the tournament players in the MWCI and the HPCC when Lenny Dykstra signs on to HP for a holdem tournament and the fans talk baseball..... after reading his information I can see why! :happy: Welcome and good luck in you games Lenny!

I will add Lenny's stats once I have comfirmed I know his stats... oh my! How do you read these things? :oops:

Al N Smithee
09-25-2005, 06:21 PM
If Lenny could round up some more of his colleagues to play, with Wayne Gretsky and others I've seen on here lately, that would be awesome for the poker playing sports fans. And the Hollywood type celebs could cross back and forth to the sports tourney and vice versa.

If this should happen I would vote for Lenny to be its host. He has been very congenial and gracious in chatting it up in the lobbies and would make a good addition to Michael Woods and Pamela Gidley in a hosting capacity as they do that well also.

Just my two cents, but if interested, someone start a thread and I'll put in four cents-worth there.