Lenny Dykstra

Lore & Background

Since his retirement, Dykstra has been mired in financial and legal troubles. In 2009, he filed for bankruptcy. Since then, he has been charged with and convicted of various crimes, including bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, and grand theft auto. Dykstra has served 6+1⁄2 months in federal prison.

In Their Own Story

The Coliseum lights hummed against the late-August sky, the kind of warm, sticky Oakland evening where the fog hadn't quite rolled in off the bay. Dykstra was in the on-deck circle, bouncing the ball on his glove, jaw working, eyes locked on the pitcher across the diamond. The A's were up by one in the seventh, and the runner on first was a kid who'd just laced a single off the opposite field.

The count was 2-2. Dykstra swung, missed, and the runner took off for second the instant the ball hit the dirt. Dykstra was already out of the box, already rounding first with that long, loping stride that made the basepaths look like a sprint track. He hit the bag, turned, and pointed at the second-base coach with both fingers, grinning like he'd just stolen the whole game. The crowd roared. The umpire stared. Dykstra stared back.

Then, on the next play, the ball was in the air over right field and he was tracking it, glove up, and for a split second the whole ballpark went quiet — just the crack of the leather catching the ball and the soft thud of it settling into his mitt. He turned, looked at the crowd, and gave a little two-finger salute. The Coliseum erupted. That was Lenny Dykstra. That was the A's.

Reader's Guide

Dykstra was born Leonard Kyle Leswick on February 10, 1963, in Santa Ana, California. He attended Garden Grove High School in Orange County, California. He was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round of the 1981 draft. He played for the Mets from 1985 to 1989 and for the Phillies from 1989 to 1996. He last played in 1996, though he attempted a comeback in spring training of 1998 before retiring at age 35.

Did You Know?

• Dykstra hit a walk-off home run in Game 3 of the 1986 NLCS.
• He led the National League in hits, runs, walks, and at-bats in 1993.
• Dykstra tied a major league record with six home runs in the 1993 postseason.
• He was named the Carolina League MVP in 1983 after hitting .358 with 105 stolen bases.