Bill Buckner(1949-2019)
- Actor
Bill Buckner achieved baseball immortality and infamy among Boston Red
Sox fans (collectively known as The Red Sox Nation) when as Red Sox
first baseman, he let a ball weakly hit by
Mookie Wilson scoot between his
legs during Game 6 of the
1986 World Series (1986).
The spectacular bone-headed play gave the one-strike-away-from-losing
New York Mets new life, and they went on to win Game 6 and the World
Series in seven games. Buckner's unbelievable play prolonged the "Curse
of the Bambino" that had plagued the Nation for 66 years, after
Babe Ruth had been sold by Red Sox owner
Harry Frazee to the New York Yankees. The
following year, the Sporting News' annual baseball supplement featured
a cover photo of Buckner's miscue with the headline, "Can Anyone Doubt
the Red Sox Hex"? The Nation took it so hard that a retired Buckner was
forced to move out of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as his children
were being harassed by young Red Sox fans.
