Mayor Bill de Blasio hands over a key to the city to former Mets' star pitcher Dwight Gooden.
The mayor and former Mets teammates honored "Doc" outside City Hall on Friday.
The event was set up by a sports journalist for an upcoming documentary about Gooden's relationship with teammate Darryl Strawberry.
Gooden helped the Amazins' win the World Series in 1986, but he missed out on the team's ticker-tape parade because of his drug habit.
During an emotional speech, Gooden discussed his battle with addiction.
"It kept me sick for a very long time," Gooden said at the steps of City Hall. "But today I'm not that person, and to get the opportunity to share that moment here again — with my teammates and with you guys — I can't thank you enough."
"This is a man who was a hero on the sports field, but I'll tell you something else — [he's] more of a hero, showing we can overcome that challenge and overcome that stigma," de Blasio said. "We thank you, 'Doc.'"
Gooden pitched for the Mets and Yankees. He won three World Series, a Cy Young Award, and earned four All-Star nominations during his career.