Photo credit: @BostonGlobe
Bill Buckner was a very good baseball player. Born in Vallejo, California on December 14, 1949. He died after a battle with dementia on May 27,2019 in Boise, Idaho. Buckner played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, California Angels (now Los Angeles Angels) and Kansas City Royals.
After 22 years in the Major Leagues, the first baseman ended with a solid .289 batting average. Buckner played in 2,517 games and collected 2,715 hits. Buckner also won the 1980 batting title in the National League with the Chicago Cubs batting .324.
Unfortunately, Buckner was always remembered for the costly error during the 1986 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets. I happened to be broadcasting for the old CBS Hispanic Radio Network over 200 Spanish format stations in the US and Latin America alongside veterans Juan Vene and Billy Berroa and international producer Armando Talavera. It was Game 6 at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York at the bottom of the 10th inning when the Mets’ Mookie Wilson hit a grounder that went through Bill Buckner’s legs, allowing Ray Knight scoring from second with the winning run for a Mets’ 6-5 win. The next day, in Game 7 game, the Mets beat the Red Sox 8-5 to win the series. The key play was the one that turned around the series — Buckner’s error.
Baseball is a wonderful game. However, moments, good or bad, will be remembered for many years. After that error, Buckner was not welcome in Boston, home of one of the most passionate fanbases in baseball. There were death threats, and he was persona non grata for many years in that great city.
Although I vividly remember that moment of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, Red Sox fans that were at Shea Stadium crying, while Mets fans could not be any more pleased, I personally remember Buckner as a very good dependable professional MLB player for over two decades.
You cannot judge a career for one play, however, it unfortunately happens. Remember when Jose Canseco played right field for the Texas Rangers on May 26, 1993 and let a ball hit him in the head and rebounded over the fence for a home run? Yes, that happened, but people should also remember in 1988, Canseco was with the Oakland Athletics and was the first ever 40-40 man when he hit 42 home runs and stole 40 bases en route to the American League MVP. Canseco had a 17-year career with 462 home runs.
However, the Canseco play was during a regular season, Buckner’s play was during a World Series. Though I remember the infamous play, I moreso remember Buckner as a very productive MLB player.
Sports Radio Service 