He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves.

[1] However, fearing that he was not tall enough to be a great basketball player, he chose to sign with the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent after graduating from high school in 1984.

Gilkey and center fielder Lance Johnson formed a formidable offensive one-two punch as outfielders in their first year with the Mets.

Gilkey's offensive numbers were less impressive in the latter years of his career and his playing time declined, although he did rebound to hit .294 in 1999.

The climax of the film took place in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in New York City near Shea Stadium, home of the Mets.

Gilkey was distracted by a massive spacecraft above Shea Stadium (actually one of the two circular observation towers from the 1964 World's Fair) and was hit on the head by a fly ball.