In 1986, Lenny Dykstra led the New York Mets to a World Series victory and almost won the National League MVP. He was a muscular, dominant offensive player and adept in the outfield. Unfortunately, Dykstra’s life off the ball field has not been anything to celebrate.
Most recently, he has made headlines for his lewd rants on Twitter during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine. Although the post might seem shocking, it is merely one more bizarre antic fans have seen. The question is, how did Dykstra go from stardom to a bankrupt drug user?
Shining career brought down by poor choices
Southern California native, Lenny Dykstra, was nicknamed “Nails” due to his tough persona both on the field and off. He was known for getting into fights in bars, but he was also known for doing everything possible to make a play on the baseball field.
He ran running into walls and face planted as he dove to catch balls. His power at the plate was equally impressive. The Mets victory in the 1986 World Series was in no small part due to Dykstra’s performance including a leadoff home run.
Unfortunately, Dykstra’s life off the field began to catch up with him. Soon after being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, he drove drunk, causing an accident that severely injured his teammate as well as himself.
The police determined his blood-alcohol level was .178 at the time of the accident. After the incident, Dykstra struggled with injuries before finally retiring from baseball at the age of 33.
Lenny Dykstra’s legal woes
RELATED: Drew Brees Scored $6.1 Million in Lawsuit Against Jeweler
Following his baseball career, from the outside, things did not look so bad for Dykstra. He owned a successful car wash with his family, and he made several successful investments.
Financial expert Jim Cramer of “Mad Money,” was so impressed with Dykstra’s economic prowess that he gave him a column on thestreet.com.
Armed with expert endorsements and media success, Dykstra launched a new enterprise, The Players Club. This venture was a magazine, private jet rental, and financial advisement service all in one.
The company targeted professional athletes, claiming the desire to help them grow their money after retirement. The business was fraught with drama. One embittered ex-employee sat down with GQ to recount Dykstra’s manic behavior and poor spending habits.
It was no surprise to him that The Player’s Club would go under. Dykstra himself would find himself in court for legal proceedings that would wind up with him serving jail time.
In 2012 Dykstra was sentenced to jail time for falsifying documents to lease luxury vehicles. While he was in jail serving time for this Grand Theft Auto conviction, he found himself in court again concerning bankruptcy fraud.
Lenny Dykstra’s drug use
RELATED: Former Dallas Cowboy Sam Hurd Ran a Multimillion-Dollar Drug Ring While Playing in the NFL
The judge in the Players Club case indicated he was light in sentencing Dykstra due to his issues with alcohol and drugs. When the police searched his house during his initial arrest, they found cocaine, ecstasy, and human growth hormone. Drugs had been a part of Dykstra’s life since his MLB days. He struggled with pain pills and faced steroid accusations by his brother.
Unfortunately, Dykstra’s time in jail did not end his drug use. In 2018, he found himself in legal trouble once again. He had threatened to shoot an UBER driver in the head.
When the police arrested him, they found cocaine and MDMA in his possession. Dykstra contended that the driver had kidnapped him after he asked to change destinations. The charges against Dykstra were dropped, according to NBC. But he is still facing ongoing charges for renting rooms in his house.
Dykstra once lived a dream life as an MLB All-Star. Drugs and money mismanagement have led him down a path of destruction that does not seem to have an end in sight.