Sunday, October 16, 2011

A Moment/Lifetime in Hell

Bill Buckner was one of baseball's premiere hitters from the 70s and 80s. The dude won an N.L. batting title, was exceedingly good in the clutch, and was almost impossible to strike out. He finished his career with a gaudy total of 2,715 hits, the 59th most in Major League history. Among the players with a lesser amount include Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Willie McCovey, Mickey Mantle, Orlando Cepeda, Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Richie Ashburn, Duke Snider, Nellie Fox, Ozzie Smith, Bill Mazeroski, Luis Aparicio, Ralph Kiner, Eddie Matthews, Billy Williams, Jimmie Fox, Reggie Jackson, Ernie Banks, Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg, Enos Slaughter, Mike Schmidt, Willie Stargell, Yogi Berra, Gary Carter, Roy Campanella, and Harmon Killebrew - Hall of Famers, ALL..........................................................................................Now, granted, a lot of these other players either hit for more power and/or were better fielders but, still, 2,715 hits is 2,715 hits. Add to that the fact that nobody, NOBODY, ever played the game any harder and, yeah, you really are looking at a hell of a Major League ball player in Bill Buckner..................................................................................................Unfortunately, we tend not to remember much of any of this, do we? We remember that miserable Mookie Wilson dribbler that skipped to the right of a gimpy Bill Buckner's glove in game 6 of the 1986 World Series. I mean, really, though, how fucking unfair is that?..................................................................................................P.S. Bill Buckner's legacy gets even more accentuated when you compare it to that of former Yankee hero, Don Larsen. Larsen, folks, had an exceedingly mediocre Major League career. But, because he pitched that frigging perfect game in the 1956 World Series, he's a God damned frigging legend now. Go frigging figure, huh?

7 comments:

Marcus said...

If you are a Red Sox fan this is one of those painful moments that is so part of Red Sox lore. I am ashamed to say that far too many Sox fans hold Buckner in contempt in spite of the statistical data you provide in your post. Fair minded fans question the managers (Zimmer) decision to keep Buckner in the game (past the the 5th or 6th inning.)...he should have been moved for defensive reasons but whatever...Billy Buck deserves a spot or a least consideration for the HOF....period. Nice post, Will.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

You nailed it, buddy. Bill Buckner (basically a DH all year) should have NEVER been in the ball game to begin with. I mean, My God, the poor guy could barely bend over, damn it.

Dervish Sanders said...

Zzzzz... didn't read beyond the first sentence. I don't know who Bill Buckner is.

Rusty Shackelford said...

Ah yes I remember it well...

Meet the Mets

Meet the Mets

Step right up and greet the Mets

Rusty Shackelford said...

Would'nt it be a blast for us to go to a Red Sox/Yankee's game at Fenway with WD? We could watch the game and listen to movie scores on our itunes at the same time....no sir,it does'nt get any better then that.

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

Don Zimmer was a great bench coach.

I feel bad for Buckner also. I feel kind of bad for Steve Bartman as everyone around him was also reaching for the ball Moises Alou might have caught.

I feel bad that Ted Williams had four years of his career interupted by WWII and Korea.

I feel bad I'm not a better husband and father.

I feel bad about lots of stuff.

Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...

Yeah, guys, that poor Bartman bastard's life is frigging ruined. And all for simply reaching (instinctively) for a foul ball. I mean, really, huh?