In his new book, 108 Stitches: Loose Threads, Ripping Yarns, and the Darndest Characters from My Time in the Game, former Mets pitcher Ron Darling claims his teammate Lenny Dykstra delivered a racially charged rant at Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd from the on deck circle prior to Game 3 at Fenway Park.
Darling wrote that Dykstra shouted:
“… every imaginable and unimaginable insult and expletive in [Boyd’s] direction — foul, racist, hateful, hurtful stuff” … one of the worst, most shameful moments I ever experienced in the game. In fact, it resulted in a momentum shift that probably turned the Series around for us, and like most of the other guys on the bench, I stood and cheered.”
Well you know what kind of storm this started.
Dykstra has denied the allegation and threatened to sue his former teammate and his publisher:
#JussieDarling, where am I now supposed to go to get my awful but nevertheless not at all racist reputation back?
— Lenny Dykstra (@LennyDykstra) April 3, 2019
ICYMI: Darryl Strawberry joins the guys and condemns Ron Darling’s portrayal of Lenny Dykstra in his new book…
— The Michael Kay Show (@TMKSESPN) April 2, 2019
@LennyDykstra to @RonDarlingJr : You’re crossing the line and I’m suing you and your publisher: https://t.co/wn0FqWcYUf via @nypostsports
— Anthony G. Attrino (@TonyAttrino) April 2, 2019
There is no public video footage of the Mets dugout prior to Game 3. So, did it happen?
Darling, of course, says yes.
Dykstra, of course, says no.
Darryl Strawberry? No. Kevin Mitchell? No. Dwight Gooden? No. Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd? No. Keith Hernandez? Maybe.
If you’re scoring at home: It’s Dykstra 4, Darling 0.
Will we ever know the truth? No.
RESOURCES
- 04.02.2019: Mets great Ron Darling claims Lenny Dykstra hurled ‘racist, hurtful stuff’ at Red Sox pitcher during World Series (Fox News)
- 04.02.2019: Ron Darling’s tell-all skewers others, not just Lenny Dykstra (New York Post)
- 04.02.2019: Keith Hernandez confirms Dykstra was barking, but couldn’t hear specifics (New York Post)
- 04.02.2019: ‘Shocked’ Darryl Strawberry: Ron Darling is lying about Lenny Dykstra ‘slurs’ (New York Post)
- 04.02.2019: Oil Can Boyd says he didn’t hear Dykstra ‘slurs,’ but believes Darling (New York Post)
- 04.01.2019: The Michael Kay Show: Dwight Gooden, Kevin Mitchell, Len Dykstra, Darryl Strawberry
- 04.01.2019: Former MLB pitcher Ron Darling on new book, Lenny Dykstra and MLB (ABC Radio)
- 04.01.2019: Lenny Dykstra would like to ‘drop’ Ron Darling after racist tirade claim (New York Post)
- 03.30.2019: Ron Darling: Lenny Dykstra’s racist tirade helped Mets win World Series (New York Post)
