Bill Buckner passes away

[patsfan13]

The coach should have pinched hit for him, and put Dave Stapleton in. That had happened the entire playoffs. Bad coaching decision, putting a player in a position to fail.

RIP B Buckner

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I am glad the conversation got there before I got a chance to put my foot in it. So to speak.

I was so sure that era's Sawx were destined to get it done, from the Rice/Lynn SI cover onward... that Buckner play broke my heart (and not for the last time)

I hung in there with the Pats and was richly rewarded, but gave up on the Sawx when Pedro left... then ta-daaaa! LOL

And by the way I dont want to hear about what a pretty boy Tom Brady is, the Mets had a pitcher whose actual name was Ron Darling that year.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Wow, 69 just seems way too young.

I’m glad to see many have just let go of their anger or whatever it was for his error on the field. I know I was just a 15 or 16 year old kid at the time, but it took a lot of years to get over that. Looking back, I’m not proud of that person who took so long to forgive a grown man, father and great player just over a fielders mistake that could of easily been avoided. And if not, so what? I watched my son and daughter through their achievements through sports and cheered them on with game winning hits and goals. But also through their failures as well. I didn’t love them any less.

I think this very thing made me so easy to forgive mishaps by players in 42. Dropped interceptions, not knocking down the ball, coaching etc. we mention them now in in passing, but we don’t hate the player for it with such vitriol that was shown this man for the better part of 18 years.

Anyway, thanks to Bill Buckner for putting on the Red Sox uniform and giving his all. I know all the headlines will mention his infamous error, I just wish they would also mention his great career and maybe a lesson to all sports fans out there, like me, that learned a thing or two about themselves when it comes to what it means to be a good fan and a bad fan.

 

[Jackson 2]

Over 2,700 hits and a batting title.

 

[captain insano]

Buckner was one of my fav RedSox players of all time. he gave 100 percent 100 percent of the time. he was a dirt dog before Trot Nixon was a dirt dog. he never should have been in game 6. his ankles were mangled. it sucks that he had to go thru what he went thru after that series. and the illness that killed him. he didn't deserve either one. God rest his soul. and comfort his family.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Wow. I am just learning about this.

I just watched a special about him recently.

I believe he leaves a wife, son and daughter.

Hope they are doing ok.

No way he deserved to endure what he did.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Buckner was one of my fav RedSox players of all time. he gave 100 percent 100 percent of the time. he was a dirt dog before Trot Nixon was a dirt dog. he never should have been in game 6. his ankles were mangled. it sucks that he had to go thru what he went thru after that series. and the illness that killed him. he didn't deserve either one. God rest his soul. and comfort his family.

Friggan Mac had been bringing in Stapleton since the All Star break and he decides to expose Bill. Jackass. Mac owed Buck an apology . Never did

...and the arguement of, "He got to the ball" is crap because getting to the ball doesn't mean you are functional defensively. Stape would have charged it and we'd be on to the next frame

 

[RobertWeathers]

I loved that.

 

[jboston19]

 

[captain insano]

Wow, 69 just seems way too young.

I’m glad to see many have just let go of their anger or whatever it was for his error on the field. I know I was just a 15 or 16 year old kid at the time, but it took a lot of years to get over that. Looking back, I’m not proud of that person who took so long to forgive a grown man, father and great player just over a fielders mistake that could of easily been avoided. And if not, so what? I watched my son and daughter through their achievements through sports and cheered them on with game winning hits and goals. But also through their failures as well. I didn’t love them any less.

I think this very thing made me so easy to forgive mishaps by players in 42. Dropped interceptions, not knocking down the ball, coaching etc. we mention them now in in passing, but we don’t hate the player for it with such vitriol that was shown this man for the better part of 18 years.

Anyway, thanks to Bill Buckner for putting on the Red Sox uniform and giving his all. I know all the headlines will mention his infamous error, I just wish they would also mention his great career and maybe a lesson to all sports fans out there, like me, that learned a thing or two about themselves when it comes to what it means to be a good fan and a bad fan.

I never had any anger towards Buckner. he was blamed for the 86 series loss because the media pushed that narrative. if people want to blame somebody it should have been MacNamara for putting him in with mangled ankles. or blame Stanley for the wild pitch. or gedman for the passed ball. take your pick. it wasn't Buckner's fault.

 

[Jackson 2]

I never had any anger towards Buckner. he was blamed for the 86 series loss because the media pushed that narrative. if people want to blame somebody it should have been MacNamara for putting him in with mangled ankles. or blame Stanley for the wild pitch. or gedman for the passed ball. take your pick. it wasn't Buckner's fault.

A friend of mine from here in MA has lived in Ft. Myers Beach for about 15 years. He was, and is, a golfing buddy of Rich Gedman's. A few years ago in March during spring training, my wife and I went to dinner with our friends and Gedman. He and I had a few beers afterwards and he really opened up about that fateful game. Rich readily acknowledged his part in the collapse and said Buckner got a raw deal for a number of reasons. He wouldn't be specific about the culpability of any others and clearly didn't want to "throw anyone under the bus", so to speak. He also said that for him, as a local kid growing up here, it was doubly painful considering the 1918 stuff. It was a fascinating conversation and he's a really nice, regular guy.

 

[DaBruinz]

That's horrible..

RIP, Billy Buck..

 

[captain stone]

I blame Lou What Would We Do With Willie McGee Gorman, for trading Dennis Eckersley to the Cubs for Buckner, who was already 34 years old and damaged goods by then...there's also John McNamara and/or Roger Clemens, one of whom is a gutless, bold-faced liar. A pox on both their houses too.

 

[captain stone]

I never had any anger towards Buckner. he was blamed for the 86 series loss because the media pushed that narrative. if people want to blame somebody it should have been MacNamara for putting him in with mangled ankles. or blame Stanley for the wild pitch. or gedman for the passed ball. take your pick. it wasn't Buckner's fault.

You do understand that Buckner wasn't blameless in all this, right?

 

[captain stone]

...And by the way I don't want to hear about what a pretty boy Tom Brady is, the Mets had a pitcher whose actual name was Ron Darling that year.

From Wuhstah!

 

[captain insano]

You do understand that Buckner wasn't blameless in all this, right?

you do understand that there was a game 7 and Buckners play was game 6? you do understand he never should have been in the game in the first place? He was injured. Blameless.

 

[Mack Herron]

 

[Jackson 2]

From Wuhstah!

Millbury, actually. And facing a major health issue right now. A fellow alumnus from my high school.

 

[Patjew]

This got me pretty teary today. I told my SO the entire Buckner story from his batting championship to losing his knees to the ALCS to game 6 and to his redemption.

I always loved Buckner as a player. And he seems to have been a good human being as well.

It’s scary that one split second can define us.

And inspirational that we can be forgiven.

And upsetting that we need forgiveness for something we should NOT have to be forgiven for.

RIP Buck. He was scrappy before scrappy was so beloved.

And screw you McNamara, Stanley, Schiraldi and **** you forever Clemens.

 

[maust]

RIP Billy Bucks. As far as videos go I prefer to remember him with this one. An inside the park HR, bad wheels and all