Bill Buckner dies of dementia at 69
Longtime major-league first baseman and left fielder Bill Buckner died Monday at the age of 69.
"After battling the disease of Lewy body dementia, Bill Buckner passed away early the morning of May 27 surrounded by his family," Buckner's family said in a statement to ESPN. "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."
Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968, Buckner played 22 big-league seasons between the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals.
Buckner hit .289/.318/.380 over 2,517 career games with 174 home runs, 498 doubles, and 1,208 RBIs. A one-time All-Star in 1981, he finished among the top 10 in MVP voting in 1981 and 1982 while playing for the Cubs.
He was a contact machine, too. He struck out 453 times in 10,033 plate appearances - a rate of 4.5 percent.
In the 1986 World Series, Buckner committed an infamous error for the Boston Red Sox. Buckner tried to field a ground ball off the bat of New York Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson in the 10th inning of Game 6. He missed it and the ball went through his legs, allowing the winning run to score. The Mets went on to win Game 7 and the series, and the Boston faithful taunted Buckner for years.
Buckner eventually moved away from Massachusetts to a ranch in Idaho and later declined to be involved in the 20-year anniversary of that Red Sox team.
He did, however, return to Fenway Park at the 2008 home opener. He received a standing ovation and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
"I really had to forgive, not the fans of Boston, per se, but I would have to say in my heart I had to forgive the media," Buckner said at the time. "For what they put me and my family through. So, you know, I've done that and I'm over that."
Buckner also exorcised those demons in an iconic guest spot on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in 2011.