As a teenager growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Darryl Strawberry taped a sign on his bedroom door saying that he was going to be a Major League Baseball player one day.
At first, he didn’t really believe it. But as he told a group of Falk College students in late March, he looked at that piece of paper every day and started to believe.
“You have to build yourself up and say that is me; that’s how you push through those fears and anxiety,” Strawberry said. “Every time I walked in or out of that room and looked at that door, I said, “That’s going to me. I’m going to make it.’’’
Indeed, Strawberry did become a major league star and won the World Series with the New York Mets in 1986 and three times with the New York Yankees (1996, 1998-99). But Strawberry’s message to the students wasn’t just about overcoming obstacles to get where you want to go, it was about how to avoid pitfalls so you can stay there.
“Believe me, part of the journey on the road to where we want to go isn’t always a smooth road,” Strawberry said. “That’s why you have to remember who you are, and the ones that win in this business (the sport industry) are the ones who have real character.”
Strawberry was in Syracuse to attend an ESPN Radio event with Brandon Steiner, the chair of Falk College’s Sport Management Advisory Council. Before hopping on a plane back to New York City, Steiner and Strawberry visited Falk College to meet with students and answer their questions for about an hour.
Steiner, who graduated from Syracuse University in 1981 and served as founder and chairman of Steiner Sports Marketing and Memorabilia for more than 30 years, is now running The Steiner Agency and Collectible Xchange and has worked with Strawberry in various roles since the mid-1980s, when Strawberry was one of baseball’s brightest young stars with the Mets.
“I’ve known this guy for 40 years and he was one of the most talented ballplayers I’ve ever seen,” Steiner told the students. “But I’ll tell you, he’s a better person than a ballplayer, and it’s good for you to hear from him and understand that life’s going to present a bunch of ups and downs.”
The Mets made Strawberry the No. 1 pick in the June 1980 amateur draft, and Strawberry turned down a scholarship offer from Oklahoma State University to sign with the Mets for what was then a record $200,000 bonus. He was assigned to the lowest level of the minor leagues in Kingsport, Tennessee–about as far away from South Central LA as you’re going to get.
“I didn’t like it there, and I kept telling my mom, ‘I don’t think this is for me,’’’ said Strawberry, who was 18 at the time. “But I learned from my mom what I told my kids when they played sports in college: Quitting is not an option. If you push through the adversity you’re going through, you’ll get to the other side.”
Strawberry reached the other side, and for several years it was glorious as he won the National League’s Rookie of the Year Award in 1983, led the Mets to the 1986 World Series title, and appeared in eight consecutive All-Star Games. Following the 1990 season, Strawberry became a free agent and returned home when he signed a five-year, $22.25 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But the personal problems that plagued Strawberry in New York followed him to Los Angeles. He was bothered by injuries, his performance declined, and the Dodgers released him in May 1994 after he failed to show up for a game. He signed with the San Francisco Giants, but at the start of the 1995 season he was suspended after testing positive for cocaine.
“You can be talented, but you can also be stupid,” Strawberry said. “I was a real fool, and I had a bunch of fools following me. Guess where I’m going? Nowhere.”
Strawberry’s rollercoaster career continued with the Yankees as he showed flashes of his former brilliance and was a key member of the 1998 championship team with 24 home runs in 101 games. But during the playoffs that year, Strawberry disclosed that he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and after receiving treatment he was suspended for drug use again in 1999 and 2000, effectively ending his career.
Following baseball, Strawberry became an ordained minister who founded Strawberry Ministries with his wife, Tracy. He now travels the country spreading the messages that he shared with Falk College students.
“I wanted to stop by and encourage you guys because I want you to win this thing called life,” Strawberry said. “You’re smart, you’re bright, your IQs are off the chart; use what you have been given and be great at who you are.”
Falk College students often have the opportunity to engage with all-star guests like Strawberry, Steiner, running legend Kathrine Switzer, and Falk College benefactor David Falk and Danielle Cantor, the first female NBA-certified player agent. Visit the Falk College website to learn more about academic programs, career opportunities, and experiential learning in Falk’s Department of Sport Management.