The Draft That Doomed the Yankees: How a Single Day in 1970 Haunts Them to This Day
Fifty-five years ago today, the New York Yankees made draft picks that would shape—and ultimately *torment*—their future in ways nobody saw coming.
On June 8, 1970, the Yankees selected three players who would become infamous in very different ways:
– **1st Round: Bucky Dent** – Yes, *that* Bucky Dent. The man who would later break Boston’s heart with a single swing in 1978… but also the shortstop whose career would fizzle into mediocrity, leaving Yankees fans wondering what could have been.
– **2nd Round: Terry Forster** – A solid reliever… who famously became the subject of David Letterman’s *”fat tub of goo”* insult. Not exactly the legacy you draft for.
– **9th Round: Rich “Goose” Gossage** – A Hall of Famer… who the Yankees *let walk away* in free agency, only to watch him dominate elsewhere.
### **The Dark Irony of the 1970 Draft**
This draft should have been a foundation for a dynasty. Instead, it became a cautionary tale of missed opportunities, bad luck, and the ghosts of decisions past.
– **Dent’s Moment vs. His Career** – One shining playoff homer doesn’t erase years of underwhelming play.
– **Forster’s Legacy** – More remembered for being *roasted on late-night TV* than for his pitching.
– **Gossage’s Greatness… Elsewhere** – The Yankees had a future Hall of Famer in their grasp… and let him go.
### **What If?**
Imagine if the Yankees had built around Gossage sooner. Imagine if Dent had been more than a single-moment hero. Imagine if Forster had been more than a punchline.
But history doesn’t rewrite itself. And 55 years later, this draft remains a haunting “what could have been” in Yankees lore.
**Was 1970 the draft that *cursed* the Yankees?** Let us know in the comments. ⚾👻
