Bill Buckner's Fenway Park Comeback: An Emotional Return

From the Eagle-Tribune: Other than Carlton Fisk waving a home run inside the foul pole after midnight or Jonathan Papelbon jumping 3-feet high in the mile-high Colorado air, a World Series game couldn't touch this one.

Bill Buckner, the one Red Sox alum who exemplified, cruelly, 86 years of misery, curses and outright choking, came home. This time, though, Buckner, a former Andover resident, was the only one shedding tears.

Nearly 37,000 fans gave the former first baseman, who strolled slowly from the left field garage door in front of the Green Monster to the pitching mound to throw out the first pitch in yesterday's Red Sox home opener, a five-minute standing ovation.

Buckner's emotional moment came after the Red Sox players received their jewel-studded World Series rings and the 2007 championship flag was raised in center field.

Keep reading here.

Watch Buckner's emotional return to Fenway Park, where he threw out the first pitch.

Watch the famous play from the 1986 World Series, where Buckner let a slow ground ball hit by the Mets' Mookie Wilson roll through his legs, costing the Red Sox the game.

The Seattle Times has more here.

Comments

[landmine]

His whole family were exceptional jocks, including his sister, Jan. A whole stable of great genes.
Gee, ajust one noteworthy mistake in a stellar career.
All of us who went to school with Bill at Napa High, in Napa, CA always loved him anyway.

[Grulg]

Always loved this guy as a player, period, as both a longtime Cubs and Sox fan. I knew how good he was w/ the Cubs-won a batting title in '80, hit .323 another year, had some 200 hit seasons and 100 rbi years, whacked alotta doubles, was fast when he was younger.

Sox would NOT have been there w/out him, it killed me to see that happen, Johnny Mac is the one who deserves rounds of Grady Little like blame here, NOT Billy Bucks. Mack is the guy who yanked Clemons an inning early, refused to bring in Stapleton at first, never bothered to juggle Henderson/Bucks in the lineup when one was hot and the other so not, left Schiraldi out there too long, etc etc. And face it, they had a shot at winning it the Next game-game 7, 3-0 lead into the 6th. C'mon, one guy doesn't lose the series, the whole TEAM does.

So, I thought this was a good, long overdue thing for Buckner, that and the 'Behind the Game' ep he did for ESPN Classic-both worth watching.

[cfreedom]

The big question: Why post a sports story on this Web site? A rather fruity collection of regulars. Can't imagine many here know the difference between third base and third down.

[moderator-jand - Huffpost Blogger]

I don't know why the Huff Post did not include the articles from the Boston Globe or the Boston Herald.

Mostly all the angsts was from a Boston Sports writer we all refer to as CHB (his real name is DS) who has a real issue with the team winning. Check out the dirt dogs link for more stories on Billy B. Who was not booed at the start of the 87 season, or during his 1990 return.

http://bostondirtdogs.boston.com/Headline_Archives/2008/04/buck_yea.html

[Veeve]

I was there last night. I was as heartbroken as any in '86. Last night, there was just this beautiful symmetry; this poetic justice. It was passed time to give the man a standing ovation. I wish my dad were alive to have seen it.

[repugssuck]

Bill Buckner played for the Cubs, he was nothing but a class act and a good ballplayer - so for the Boston Red Sox fans I salute you!

[nsmavrik]

I completely agree that over the years it was very harsh for all of us to villify Bill Buckner for the play that he made. However, the fans from other teams should not judge the Red Sox fans too much for us condemning him (especially the Yankees fans).

It was very wrong for us to condemn him, but you must understand that all Bill had to do was throw his BODY at the ball to prevent it from going into right field, and the Red Sox would have finally won the world series after 68 years. Despite the wild pitch through Gedman, despite Calvin & Mike's bad pitching, the Red Sox were winning. Narrowly, but still winning. All we needed was that last out. It wasn't a fly ball, it wasn't a hard line drive, it was, as the announcer said it, a slow roller up the right side line.

We came this close to winning it all.

We lived with OUR shame for many years. Not just for not winning the world series that year but destroying Buckner's lifelong career by only being remembered for that one play. It was our shame, and we had to recitfy it ourselves without others telling us how (especially the Yankee's fans).

Today, we did. I only hope Bill Buckner can now finally forgive US.

[TheGolux]

No, the game only would have been extended if Buckner made the play. The score was already tied, thanks to Gedman's passed ball.

[Nommo]

Buckner got jobbed big time. One, he should not have been in the game. McNamara should have gotten him out of there and brought in Baylor for defensive purposes. Schiraldi (sloppy pitching) and Stanley (wild pitch) lost that game, it was tied when Buckner flubbed that slow ground ball. The guy could barely move as it was. Besides there was one more game. Now, as a lifelong Yankee fan and baseball fanatic,
I loved watching Boston lose again. But Buckner was not supposed to take that weight. I know that Yankee fans would never have behaved the way Boston "fans" did to Buckner and his family. Savages.

[adzeman]

Bout time. Buckner was an awesome player and deserves some adulation from New England. Especially now that they got a couple of titles under the belt.

[drkazmd65]

Loved Buckner when he played for the Cubs. He was a class act throughout his MLB career. How good would he have been without all the nagging leg & knee problems? He had speed, a good batting eye, and a knack for timely hitting.

The "play" was a bad one, but I always figured why should one bad (OK terrible) play in a multi-year MLB career make a man a goat against all he did for Boston that year?

Congrats Bill - Glad you got your long overdue due in Boston.

[fatherjoyful]

I was home watching the game with my wife and when Buckner came walking out from left field to the pitching mound I started weeping. It was such a class thing that the Red Sox did and the fans who had no idea that Buckner was throwing out the first pitch responding with a heartfelt standing ovation. It was one of those moments when forgiveness and atonement wash away all the junk of the past. Fenway Park has become the happiest place in baseball... I'm not kidding.

I'm very impressed with the knowledge of many of these posts because I always felt that Buckner was unfairly made a scape goat. There was more than enough blame to go around, with Stanley and Schiraldi, not to mention a passed ball by Gedman and poor coaching ( It was a team meltdown). With so much bad news these days this little touch of class by the Boston Red Sox was a heartfelt act of beauty. The Immortals that abide in heaven's "Field of Dreams " must have stopped for a moment to clap and tip the hat too. Great moment!

[scamperdo]

I was watching live on TV and you could see how visibly nervous he was, he said in interview he didn't know what to expect. It was pretty courageous of him to go out there knowing fans were unaware of big surprise of his throwing first pitch. I was really glad to see the Red Sox fans rise to the occasion, the cheers just grew louder and louder, it was an immense standing ovation and poor Buckner was n tears.

Finally, after all these years, 1986 and the curse with it thrown off our backs for good. Kudos to Red Sox Management for alot of class here.

[KarlRoves3rdchin]

I love it -Buckner gets a standing ovation and our idiot-n-chief Prez gets boo'd!!!

[Bobleblah1]

Thats awesome.

Man, I feel really happy for him. what a great moment of redemption.

[Strywever]

So? Why do we care? Just asking, 'cuz so many people respond that way to similar articles about celebrities who *aren't* sports stars. I always found that odd since the articles appear in the Entertainment section. . . but I find it even odder that sports figures apparently are entertainers who *are* worthy of HuffPo, given the lack of comment to the contrary.

[heardingcats]

And to think - BU$H was BOOED as he threw out the first pitch at the Nationals game.

LOL

[brandcriss]

It's amazing how 2 world series championships can make even the most rabid fans forgive and forget one of the most infamous plays in sports history.

[pravdaddy]

But remember (and you do remember, don't you?), the score was already tied when the ball went through his legs. Yes, it let in the winning run. But it was just one in a series of rapid-fire mishaps that guys like Calvin Schiraldi and Bob Stanley, not to mention John McNamara, were also deeply involved in. And of course if the Red Sox had just come back and won game 7, all would have been forgiven. I always thought Bill Buckner took an undeserved goat rap for the Sox's series meltdown in '86, and it was mighty nice of Sox fans to give him that standing O.

[hip dibler]

yeah, it's real easy to forgive him now. a couple of rings takes the sting out of anything. this would have been impressive BEFORE they won the world series championships. if there were no rings, you better believe he'd still be vilified.