On Nov. 16, 1964 in Tampa, Fla., Dwight Eugene Gooden was born, making Sunday his 50th birthday.

Less than 20 years after his birth, the kid we came to know as Doctor K would begin dominating major-league hitters.

Here's his first of many career strikeouts:

Gooden set the rookie strikeout record with a whopping 276 that season.

Gooden led the majors in strikeouts, WHIP, hit rate, strikeout rate and FIP that season, closing on a stretch that would carry into the following season. He won Rookie of the Year in 1984 and followed it up with a Cy Young in 1985, when he was 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 268 strikeouts -- get this -- 16 complete games and eight shutouts. He was the unanimous Cy Young winner.

Gooden's 12.2 WAR (baseball-reference.com version) is the highest ever for a starting pitcher post World War I. His 229 ERA+ is the 12th best in history, trailing Tim Keefe from 1880, Pedro Martinez (2000), Dutch Leonard (1914), Greg Maddux (1994 and 1995), Walter Johnson (1913), Bob Gibson (1968), Three Finger Brown (1906), Pedro Martinez (1999), Walter Johnson (1912) and Christy Mathewson (1905), in order.

Basically, Gooden down the stretch in 1984 and all of 1985 was one of the best pitchers in MLB history. 

Happy 50th, Doc!