Bill Buckner has passed away

[zrowsdower]

Sorry as I don't normally post in this section and if there has already been a thread about this and I overlooked it, then I'm sorry and please lock this one. I always felt bad for the crap he got in the 86 world series. I'm sorry that he suffered from dementia at the end of his life. He has my respect and condolences.

[RI Richmark]

I just repost what I said in the MLB thread.

So sad to hear about Bill Buckner. I never blamed him for the loss. Personally I don't think most Sox fans did either. It's just that that play was replayed so many times that he couldn't get away from it.

He handled it was well as anyone ever could.

My condolences to his friends and family on this day.

[zrowsdower]

May 27, 2019 14:42:24 GMT -5 RI Richmark said:

I just repost what I said in the MLB thread.

So sad to hear about Bill Buckner. I never blamed him for the loss. Personally I don't think most Sox fans did either. It's just that that play was replayed so many times that he couldn't get away from it.

He handled it was well as anyone ever could.

My condolences to his friends and family on this day.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you had posted that. My apologies.

[RI Richmark]

May 27, 2019 14:47:49 GMT -5 zrowsdower said:

May 27, 2019 14:42:24 GMT -5 RI Richmark said:

I just repost what I said in the MLB thread.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you had posted that. My apologies.

Its ok. There's no need for apologies.

[burdette25159]

I would be surprised if the Blues and the Bruins observe an Moment of Silence for Buckner tonight at the Stanley Cup Finals

[fw91]

As a Mets fan, of course I seen that play a million times. He got too much hate.
1) Red Sox Bullpen Meltdown
2) Game was already Tied
3) Wilson was beating that out.

RIP

[Spider2024]

May 27, 2019 15:51:55 GMT -5 fw91 said:

As a Mets fan, of course I seen that play a million times. He got too much hate.
1) Red Sox Bullpen Meltdown
2) Game was already Tied
3) Wilson was beating that out.

RIP

The vast majority of Red Sox fans did indeed allow their anger to turn into hate against Buckner, and were only able to admit it when the Sox actually broke the curse.

An interesting question, since I have heard that #3 theory multiple times that, even if Buckner catches the ball, Mookie Wilson still beats him to 1st base and is still safe and the game is still over right there. So if that happened, who would get the vitriolic blame? Somehow I don't think it would still be Buckner to quite the same level. I'm guessing it'll be manager John McNamara for all his missteps during that game. (For the record, on ESPN's old Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame episode on Bill Buckner, McNamara is #1 on their blame countdown.)

[Cyno]

It's a shame that he's remembered for that infamous play because his manager put him in an impossible position. He handled it with class.

RIP Bill Buckner.

[Sam Punk]

From 2008
www.seacoastonline.com/article/20080409/Sports/804090380

“I really had to forgive,” he said after collecting himself, “not the fans of Boston per se, but I would have to say, in my heart, I had to forgive the media ...”

Another pause, this one for 10 seconds, before he continued, ”... for what they put me and my family through. So I’ve done that. I’m over that. And I’m just happy that I just try to think of the positive. The happy things.”

Buckner looks younger than his 58 years with the thick mustache he wore as a player. His expression was solemn and his words serious.

The ceremony was “tremendous,” Boston catcher Jason Varitek said. “Hopefully, it allows him to enjoy his life and people to enjoy the career that he did have.”

[Sam Punk]

May 27, 2019 18:04:41 GMT -5 Spider2024 said:

May 27, 2019 15:51:55 GMT -5 fw91 said:

As a Mets fan, of course I seen that play a million times. He got too much hate.
1) Red Sox Bullpen Meltdown
2) Game was already Tied
3) Wilson was beating that out.

RIP

The vast majority of Red Sox fans did indeed allow their anger to turn into hate against Buckner, and were only able to admit it when the Sox actually broke the curse.

An interesting question, since I have heard that #3 theory multiple times that, even if Buckner catches the ball, Mookie Wilson still beats him to 1st base and is still safe and the game is still over right there. So if that happened, who would get the vitriolic blame? Somehow I don't think it would still be Buckner to quite the same level. I'm guessing it'll be manager John McNamara for all his missteps during that game. (For the record, on ESPN's old Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame episode on Bill Buckner, McNamara is #1 on their blame countdown.)

This was 29 October, 1986, two days after the world series ended.
www.si.com/vault/1986/11/10/114340/the-hub-hails-its-hobbling-hero-even-though-bill-buckner-let-game-6-slip-through-his-injured-legs-the-fans-in-boston-showed-last-week-how-much-they-admired-his-courageous-play-in-the-world-series

He awakened on the morning after the morning after, knowing that he had two more rivers to cross. First, there was a parade in downtown Boston. ... As he started to get out of bed, he heard some mention of the Mets' parade on the radio. "More than two and a half million people honored the world champions yesterday in New York," said the announcer, "and the parade finished with the Mets' team bus going through Bill Buckner's legs."

"Here I just experienced the best year of my life with a team, and I feel rotten," Bill Buckner said to his wife, Jody, as they drove down Route 93 toward Boston last Wednesday morning. "This whole city hates me. Is this what I'm going to be remembered for? Is this what I've killed myself for all these years? Is a whole season ruined because of a bad hop? I've got to go through the humiliation of this parade, partly because I know I don't deserve it. Oh well, there'll only be two or three players and about 50 people who'll show up to boo us." ...

It was a crystal-clear autumn morning ... when the truck neared Copley Square, he saw that the street was lined with faces and banners as far as he could see. Buckner had asked not to speak at the rally at City Hall Plaza, and so he stood at the end of the stage. But when he heard the ringing one-minute ovation that followed his name, Buckner stepped forward and thanked the crowd.

"That was the most incredible experience of my career," he said to Jody …

[RI Richmark]

May 27, 2019 19:18:36 GMT -5 Sam Punk said:

This was 29 October, 1986, two days after the world series ended.
www.si.com/vault/1986/11/10/114340/the-hub-hails-its-hobbling-hero-even-though-bill-buckner-let-game-6-slip-through-his-injured-legs-the-fans-in-boston-showed-last-week-how-much-they-admired-his-courageous-play-in-the-world-series

He awakened on the morning after the morning after, knowing that he had two more rivers to cross. First, there was a parade in downtown Boston. ... As he started to get out of bed, he heard some mention of the Mets' parade on the radio. "More than two and a half million people honored the world champions yesterday in New York," said the announcer, "and the parade finished with the Mets' team bus going through Bill Buckner's legs."

"Here I just experienced the best year of my life with a team, and I feel rotten," Bill Buckner said to his wife, Jody, as they drove down Route 93 toward Boston last Wednesday morning. "This whole city hates me. Is this what I'm going to be remembered for? Is this what I've killed myself for all these years? Is a whole season ruined because of a bad hop? I've got to go through the humiliation of this parade, partly because I know I don't deserve it. Oh well, there'll only be two or three players and about 50 people who'll show up to boo us." ...

It was a crystal-clear autumn morning ... when the truck neared Copley Square, he saw that the street was lined with faces and banners as far as he could see. Buckner had asked not to speak at the rally at City Hall Plaza, and so he stood at the end of the stage. But when he heard the ringing one-minute ovation that followed his name, Buckner stepped forward and thanked the crowd.

"That was the most incredible experience of my career," he said to Jody …

Great find. He was also given a hero's welcome when he returned to the Red Sox for his final season in 1990. And he had a memorable final HR:

[Ben Wyatt]

I'll never forgive assholes like Dan Shaugnessey for what they did to the guy.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

I don't understand how any Sox fan could watch that game and blame him for that. Our bullpen couldn't get one last out. And also, we had Game 7 which we took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the 6th.