Darryl Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in baseball in the 1980s and 1990s. He was also one of the most controversial because of off the field behavior and drug problems. In fact for many, Strawberry's widely documented off-the-field problems overshadow his career on the baseball field, a career that many have deemed Hall of Fame-worthy.
In his 17-year major league baseball career, he hit 335 homeruns (252 with the Mets) 1,000 RBIs, and FOUR World Series Championships - nearly an entire hand of rings when most major league players could only dream of winning ONE. He was named to the Allstar Team eight times, was designated as a Silver Slugger award twice, captured a Homerun Derby title, and Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Home Run Leader awards.
But away from the spotlight, and even in the spotlight, Strawberry's personal life always seemed to be in shambles. In fact, some would say Strawberry had his success on the baseball field in spite of himself. He was known for getting into physical altercations with his teammates, with uncontrollable anger issues. He overslept on more than one occasion and was often late for practice.
His personal problems seemed to surface in 1986 when he allegedly broke his first wife, Lisa's nose, the same year he won his first World Series title with the Mets. She filed for divorce one year later. He continued to put up MVP-like numbers and nearly won the award in 1988. In 1990, he was arrested in Los Angeles for striking Lisa in the face and threatening her with a handgun. Eight days later he entered rehab for alcoholism. The two divorced.
Strawberry had another violent outburst in 1993 with then-girlfriend Charisse Simons and was arrested. He later said he contemplated suicide during that time period. The two later married and had three children. In 1994, after failing to show for a Dodgers' exhibition game, he entered rehab again. That same year, he was indicted on tax evasion charges, then tested positive for cocaine.
In 1999, during a stint with the Yankees, he was arrested in Tampa for attempting to solicit a prostitute who happened to be an undercover cop. He was then diagnosed with colon cancer and began chemotherapy. In 2001, he went on a four-day drug binge that turned him suicidal again, which landed him in rehab, before a probation violation brought him back to prison. He would recover from cancer.
After retiring from baseball, he had coaching stints and currently works as an analyst, although his addiction is something he must battle constantly. Strawberry has devoted his life to serving Without Walls International Church and his foundation, which benefits children suffering from autism.
While Strawberry may never find true balance in his life, his story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of professional success with neglect to personal life. No matter what success you achieve in your profession, you must always work to better yourself personally, including getting help for drug addiction. It also goes to show that rehab isn't always a one time thing - it often requires several stints in treatment before sobriety can be achieved.
Do you or does a loved one need Tampa Prescription Drug Abuse treatment? True Path Recovery offers Tampa Residential Drug Treatment and outpatient treatment programs.
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