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The Ball Through Bill Buckner's Legs Play |
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By R.E. - Red Sox fans were gloating over their imminent World Championship. The year was 1986 and the Sox were up, three game to two in the Series and 4-2 in the six game. Two Mets were out in the bottom of the ninth, none on, two strike on Gary Carter. Just one more strike and Boston would celebrated its first championship since 1918. In the visitor's dugout At Shea Staduim, the Red sox, including glove man Dave Stapleton, were poised to celebrate. Normally, Stapleton would now be playing first base instead of the defensively suspect Bill Buckner. But manager John McNamara inexplicably kept the gimpy Buckner in the game.
Carter lashed the two strike pitch into center field for a single, the Sox reluctantly postponed their party long enough to work on Mets rookie Kevin Mitchell for the final out. Mitchell singled, Ray Knigth kept the rally going with another single, scoring Carter. The reliable Bob Stanley came in from the Boston bullpen to face Mookie Wilson, but Wilson leaped to dodge an errant pitch, which elude Sox catcher Rich Gedmam, allowing Mitchell to scamper home with tying run while Knight reach second. Wilson then smacked a ground ball down the first base line.
An easy play for Buckner, who could simply step on the bag and send the game into the extra innings. But astounded fans soon noted the ball bounding through Buckner's legs and into right field, as the exuberant Knight raced home with the game winner. The Series was tied, two days later, the Mets took Game Seven, and Buckner secured an honored niche in the rank of World Series goats.
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