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When will everyone get off of Bill Buckner's back?

Published Tuesday, August 10, 2004 by seanlmccarthy | E-mail this post

Tonight ESPN aired its top 25 "biggest chokes" of the past 25 years, as part of the cable sports net's 25th anniversary. Makes sense. The No. 1 selection, likewise, makes sense: My beloved Boston Red Sox, failing to close the deal in 1986. I still carry the psychological and emotional scars from that weekend in October. But shouldn't relief pitcher Bob Stanley carry his share of the culpability? Sure, Billy Bucks -- bad ankles and all -- missed the grounder that allowed the Mets to win Game 6. But as any true baseball fan should know and remember, Buckner probably would not have gotten the final out even had the ball found his mitt. And it was Stanley who wild pitched the tying run in and screwed the pooch. ESPN even showed Stanley's failures in the broadcast tonight, but still squarely put the blame on Buckner. Someone needs to set the record straight.