Former Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner passed away on Monday. He was 69 years old.
Bill Buckner had a solid major league career. A 22 year veteran, he played mainly for the Dodgers, Cubs, and Red Sox, while spending some time with both the Angels and Royals at the end of his career. Yet, he is remembered mainly for one moment with the Boston Red Sox, an unfortunate moment in a respectable career.
We have all seen the images, where Buckner, who was dealing with back issues, was unable to bend to field Mookie Wilson‘s ground ball during Game Six of the 1986 World Series. That grounder went between his legs, plating the winning run in that contest. When the Mets went on to take Game Seven, and the Curse of the Bambino continued, Buckner became a convenient scapegoat.
That one moment overshadowed the type of career that Buckner put together. He was a lifetime .289/.321/.408 hitter, with 498 doubles and 174 homers. Buckner had seven seasons where he batted over .300, and won the 1980 NL batting title. He even had 183 steals in his career, stealing over 20 bases in a season twice.
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Buckner was one of the key parts of the Red Sox lineup in that fateful 1986 campaign. He had a .267/.311/.421 batting line, finishing fourth on the team with 18 homers. He trailed only Jim Rice in RBI for Boston, and even ranked second on the team in steals. While the years had hindered his defensive abilities, he was still a roughly league average glove at first that season.
Eventually, Buckner found redemption. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, breaking the curse and lifting that weight off of his shoulders. While he did not appear at the 20th anniversary salute to the 1986 team, he was a part of the 2008 Opening Day festivities.
The Red Sox were once again fresh off of a World Series title, and brought numerous former Boston sports greats back for the festivities. Buckner emerged to throw the first pitch, and received a two minute standing ovation. The error was forgiven, and Buckner had become a beloved former player once again.
It was, truly, a day of healing. A moment that one could understand if he thought would never happen. It was the moment that Buckner could get go of the past, and once again be accepted by the Boston Red Sox faithful. On that day, he truly came home.
As the memories flood in from writers and former players, that moment in 1986 will be brought up over and over again. However, Buckner was more than that one play – he was a solid player who never made excuses, a consummate professional who deserved better than what he had received. Fortunately, before he succumbed to the ravages of Lewy Body Dementia, he was able to get that redemption.
Our thoughts are with Bill Buckner’s family and friends at this time.