The news broke this afternoon following a tweet by his former Los Angeles Dodgers' teammate Bobby Valentine and later confirmed by his family.
Buckner played 22 seasons in MLB making his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1969 at the age of 19. He was with the team when they won the NL pennant in 1974. Earlier that season, he was playing left field when Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth with his 715th career home run.
Prior to the 1977 season, Buckner was traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Rick Monday. His best season with the Cubs came in 1980 when he won the NL batting title with a .324 average. In 1981, Buckner made his lone All-Star team. In 1982, Buckner had his first 100 RBI season. While with the Cubs, Buckner also led the NL in doubles in 1981 and 1983.
During the 1984 season, the Cubs traded Buckner to the Boston Red Sox for future Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley. Buckner had back to back 100 plus RBI seasons in 1985 and 1986. Despite a nagging ankle injury, Buckner was a critical reason the Red Sox would win their first AL pennant since 1975.
Of course, Buckner would live in infamy in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets. In a matter of minutes, the Red Sox were one strike away from winning their first World Series since 1918 to a ground ball hit by Mookie Wilson going through his legs to force a Game 7 which the Mets would go on to win. Buckner bore the brunt of this reversal of fortune notwithstanding the ineffectiveness of relievers Calvin Schiraldi and Bob Stanley. By the time the ball got to Buckner the Mets had already tied the game. Even if Buckner had fielded the ball cleanly chances are he would not have beaten the speedy Wilson to the bag.
But Red Sox Nation would blame Buckner and heard the boo birds at Fenway during the 1987 season (while receiving death threats off the field) until the Red Sox released him in July. Buckner would hook on with the California Angels where he would play for the remainder of that season and in early 1988. Buckner would also play for the Kansas City Royals in 1988 and 1989 before finishing his big league career back in Boston in 1990. He finished his career with 2,715 hits, a .289 lifetime batting average, 174 HR and 1208 RBI.
However, Buckner remained a scapegoat in some quarters (particularly the harsh Boston sports media) and would move his family to Idaho to get away from the limelight although he would spend the 1996 and 1997 seasons as the hitting coach of the Chicago White Sox.
The hatchet was finally buried when Buckner made a surprise appearance at Fenway Park for the 2008 home opener honoring the team's 2007 World Series title. Buckner threw out the first pitch to former Red Sox teammate Dwight Evans and received a rapturous standing ovation which moved Buckner to tears.
It was after this that Buckner seemed at peace with his past making a number of public appearances with Mookie Wilson and even made a guest appearance on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2011 where he "redeems" himself by saving the life of a baby by catching it. That same year, Buckner returned to Massachusetts where he managed the Brockton Rox of the independent Can-Am League.
Bill Buckner lived his life with dignity, grace, good humor and the patience of Job. If this doesn't grant him entry at Heaven's Gate then God truly is angry and jealous instead of compassionate and forgiving. R.I.P.
No comments:
Post a Comment