The Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball mourned the death of Bill Buckner on Monday as he passed away at the age of 69 after a long battle with dementia.
Buckner is most famously known for the key error he made in the 1986 World Series while a member of the Boston Red Sox. In reality, he actually was an outstanding player, hitting .289 over the course of his 22-year Major League career.
The Dodgers were the first team to give Buckner a chance, drafting him in the second round in 1968 and promoting him to the big leagues for the first time the following year.
Former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, who had Buckner as a player in his final of eight years with the Dodgers in 1976, mourned the passing, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“Bill Buckner was one of the best players that ever played for me. He was a great player and one of the best competitors I have ever seen. I was so proud of his accomplishments and contributions to the game. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
Buckner played in 773 games in his time with the Dodgers, hitting .289/.319/.380 with 121 doubles, 14 triples, 38 home runs and 277 RBI. He then moved on and played eight years with the Chicago Cubs, five with the Red Sox, two with the Kansas City Royals and two with the then-California Angels.
He was named an All-Star for the only time while playing for the Cubs in 1981 and won a National League batting title a year before in 1980. Buckner formed relationships with many people and touched many lives throughout the league during his career.
After retiring as a player in 1991, it took Buckner 20 years to get back into baseball as he began managing in an Independent League in 2011 and then became a Minor League hitting instructor in 2012. He is served by his wife Jody and three kids, Brittany, Christen and Bobby.
