Dwight Gooden to appear at Sugar

Thursday is Ladies Night at Sugar Dining Den and Social Club in Carle Place (246 Voice Rd., 516-248-7600, sugarli.com), and for all the women thinking about heading over, there are some perks to consider -- such as an open bar from 9:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. plus free wine and champagne until midnight (for the ladies only). However, there is also an interesting guest appearing this evening; one that sports-minded guys may find especially enticing: to kick off its weekly Thursday night party series for the fall season, Sugar is bringing Dwight “Dr. K” Gooden to meet and greet everybody coming down.

Starting his career with the New York Mets, Gooden was the 1984 National League Rookie of the Year, won the Cy Young Award (for top pitcher of the year) in 1985, was a part of the 1986 World Championship team and was once among the most recognizable sports figures in the world – an occurrence bolstered by the tremendous murals of “Doc” that were painted on the sides of Manhattan’s Penn Station and on a West 42nd Street building in Times Square for much of the late 1980s. Later in his career, Dwight was also a member of the New York Yankees, with whom he fired a no-hitter in 1996 and was a member of two World Championship squads (1996, 2000).

Gooden is scheduled to appear sometime after 9 p.m., but those seeking to get some dancing in can arrive anytime to catch the session to be delivered by DJ Sizzahandz, who will be spinning all sorts of beats popular with the club crowd. Dress to impress; no cover. 

*SINGLE-SEASON ERA BY A STARTER: DWIGHT GOODEN (1985), 1.53. Runner up: Tom Seaver (1971), 1.76.  Gooden's 1985 season was one of the most dominant in Major League history. Since 1919, only Bob Gibson pitched to a lower single-season ERA (1.12 in 1968). In addition to his MLB-best ERA, Gooden led the majors with 24 wins and 268 strikeouts and led the NL with 16 complete games in '85. And he was just 20 years old.