Aug 26, 2026 · 1h 39m
Kevin Mitchell revisits baseball’s glory, trauma and second chances
Kevin Mitchell Tells All: San Diego Streets, Gold Tooth, 1986 Mets, Will Clark, Willie Mays | ATS BASEBALL
Mitchell’s story connects a remarkable baseball career to street violence, medical trauma, regret and the difficult work of rebuilding a life.
- 1Mitchell credits Willie Mays and Dusty Baker with shaping the player who became the 1989 National League MVP.
- 2His memories of the 1986 Mets and 1989 World Series mix clubhouse intimacy with baseball’s defining moments.
- 3After paralysis and five years in a wheelchair, Mitchell rebuilt his mobility with help from family and children he coached.
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Mitchell describes becoming paralyzed from the neck down, spending five years in a wheelchair and gradually learning to walk again.
The brief
Kevin Mitchell traces his path from Southeast San Diego, street life and family loss to professional baseball, where his father urged him to turn aggression into hitting.
His rise through the Mets included a fight with Darryl Strawberry, a utility role under Davey Johnson and a defining pinch-hit single in the 1986 World Series.
Mitchell credits Willie Mays and Dusty Baker with shaping his game, then revisits the 1989 MVP season, his rivalry with Will Clark and the earthquake-delayed World Series.
The conversation turns darker as Mitchell describes spinal problems, paralysis, five years in a wheelchair, depression and the family support that helped him walk again.
Mitchell reflects on Ricky Henderson, media stereotypes, career regrets and the accountability he values more than a return to the game.