RIP Bill Buckner

[True Dough]

Bill Buckner, the longtime major leaguer whose error in the 1986 World Series for years lived in Red Sox infamy, died Monday. He was 69.

"After battling the disease of Lewy Body Dementia, Bill Buckner passed away early the morning of May 27th surrounded by his family," his family said in a statement. "Bill fought with courage and grit as he did all things in life. Our hearts are broken but we are at peace knowing he is in the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Buckner played 22 seasons in the majors, was an All-Star once and won a batting title in 1980. But it was a ball that went through his legs at Shea Stadium on a cool Oct. 25 night in 1986 that made for one of baseball's most shocking moments.

A baseball and football star growing up in Napa, California, Buckner was a second-round draft pick of the Dodgers in 1968, going one round after Los Angeles took Bobby Valentine. Buckner made his major league debut as a 19-year-old in 1969, beginning the first of what turned out to be eight seasons with the Dodgers.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26832836/bill-buckner-dies-69-battling-dementia

[RelativelyJones]

1. +1

[mikeargo]

2. RIP, Billy Buck

He was one of few players to play in four decades--sixties, seventies, eighties, and nineties.

[Chin music]

3. +1

[JPPaverage]

4. I met him once.

I told him ,"Screw the Red Sox, we love you Billy Buck." This was I'm 1994. He came over to me and shook my hand. I am an unabashed Cub fan and always liked Billy Buck.

[Bob Loblaw]

7. Ironically,

my memories of Cubs color man Lou Boudreau begin and end with him saying, "You youngsters out there, watch the way Buckner gets in front of the ball." (In your head use your best Lou impersonation.)

Buckner was a really good ball player, it's a damned shame that play (which was so unlike him), is what many remember him for.

[Jarqui]

9. I still feel Red Sox Manager John McNamara should have taken more heat

Buckner's knees were bad. He was arthritic trying to play that ball and couldn't go down easily on one knee to make the play and block the ball from getting past him.

McNamara deserved criticism for not replacing him with a defensive infielder who he had available.

Saw a neat stat: 2500+ games - never struck out three times in a game

One can't play 22 seasons of MLB and be a bad player.

[dameatball]

5. I watched that game. Didn't care who won, but felt terrible for the guy. Sports is not a life and

death matter and no single event in a sporting contest should define anyone. RIP.

[True Dough]

6. So it's safe to say

you wouldn't want to trade places with this guy either:

[El Supremo]

8. The first "F" has died.

Too bad. Too young.

Bucky F. Dent
Aaron F. Boone
And Billy F. Buckner