MLB Legend Bill Buckner Dies at 69
Bill Buckner, a former MLB All-Star who played for five teams over his 22-year career, has passed away at the age of 69. His wife Jody broke the news to Jeremy Schaap, who posted the following statement.
Bill Buckner passed away early the morning of May 27th surrounded by his family. 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."
— Jeremy Schaap (@JeremySchaap) May 27, 2019
Bill was 69.
Buckner is most well known for an error in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, which gave the Mets an improbable win. The Mets wound up winning the series in Game 7, and Buckner was the scapegoat for the Red Sox loss, which extended their World Series drought. His error in Game 6 led to death threats and heckling from Red Sox fans and opposing fans alike. He wound up reconciling with the Red Sox fanbase later in his career, but he was much more than that one play during his successful career.
The 1980 batting champion had 2,715 hits in his career and was a career .289 batter. He was an All-Star with the Cubs in 1980 and played for the Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, Angels and Royals from 1969-1990.
According to Jody’s statement, Buckner battled Lewy body dementia, which, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, “is a type of progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking, reasoning and independent function because of abnormal microscopic deposits that damage brain cells over time.”
Buckner is survived by his wife Judy, two daughters, Brittany and Christen, and son, Bobby.