Special Bill Buckner "did you ever have one of those days" thread

http://www.thebaseballpage.com/past/pp/bucknerbill/

Destined to be remembered as the goat of Game Six in the 1986 World Series, Bill Buckner deserves a better fate. The first baseman/outfielder collected more than 2,700 hits in his career, won a batting title, and played in four decades. Overlooking the fact that his infamous miscue occurred when the game was tied, Red Sox fans have ignored the several other mishaps that befell the team earlier in the inning. Buckner retired with a .289 average in a 22-year career with five teams.

In May of 1984 Buckner was dealt to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Dennis Eckersley in a deal which helped the Cubs win the National League East. Buckner enjoyed two full seasons with the BoSox, driving in 100 runs in both '85 and '86, due in large part because he had several RBI opportunities batting behind Wade Boggs. In 1986, for example, Buckner batted just .276 with men on base, and .242 with a .340 slugging percentage with men in scoring position, but still amassed 102 RBI because Boggs was on base more than 300 times in front of him. In the 1986 post-season Buckner batted a weak .200, with four RBI in 14 games, and just one extra-base hit. In spite of his poor performance, Boston manager John McNamara left him at first base in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game Six of the World Series with a two-run lead. Defensive specialist Dave Stapleton was left on the bench, and watched in horror as a ground ball skipped through Buckner's legs and down the right field line, allowing the Met's Ray Knight to score the game-winning run. The Red Sox never recovered, losing a three-run lead in Game Seven and continuing their cursed Fall Classic tradition. Buckner's name became synonimous with the team's failure, and due in part to that, and the fact that he was deteriorating as an everyday player, he was released by the Sox on July 23, 1987, to make room for prospect Sam Horn.

Buckner spent 1987, 1988, and 1989 with the California Angels and then the Kansas City Royals, seeing little playing time as his skills eroded. In 1990, the Red Sox signed him as a free agent. He played 22 games as a first baseman and pinch-hitter, with his only highlight an inside-the-park home run in Fenway Park. The sight of Buckner legging out the homer was brutal irony to Red Sox faithful, who could not forget the infamous play from the 1986 World Series. Buckner retired before the '90 season concluded, having registered 2,715 hits, 498 doubles, 174 home runs, 183 steals, 1,077 runs scored, 1,208 RBI, and a .289 lifetime batting average.