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This Day In Sports…May 27, 2019:
Baseball great Bill Buckner dies in Boise at the age of 69. Sadly, the video accompanying national stories on Buckner’s passing went right to the lowest common denominator. ESPN and NBC Nightly News, for example. They shared one Boston Red Sox play from the 1986 World Series that needs no further elaboration. How many times did Buckner’s career legacy have to be driven home? The 22 seasons, the .289 career average and 1980 National League batting title during a difficult era for hitters, and the 2,715 career hits.
Buckner’s treatment in New England following his retirement became uncomfortable enough that he moved his family to Boise, a place he always enjoyed when he visited his brother Bob. It was here that he found peace and purpose. Buckner became a Boisean in 1994. Ten years later, the Red Sox were getting ready for the World Series and would ultimately win their first championship in 86 years.
Boston media contacted Buckner and asked if he might be attending Game 1 in Fenway Park. He politely replied that he already had plans—Boise State was hosting Fresno State that night on the blue turf. Buckner was a big-time Broncos football and basketball fan, and at that time it took precedence over the bad New England memories he had escaped. It was 3½ more years before the Boston reconciliation took place, and it was something. On Opening Day at Fenway in 2008, he emerged through an outfield door and walked across the field to a two-minute standing ovation before throwing out the first pitch. Goosebumps.
In the Treasure Valley, Buckner became a regular at community events, and Bill Buckner autographed caps, balls, bats and jerseys became common fare in silent auctions. He also got back into baseball and was the hitting coach for the Boise Hawks in 2012 and 2013. Buckner was respected by the young Chicago Cubs minor leaguers—and he obviously struck a chord, as the Hawks led the Northwest League in batting each season.
Gary Van Tol was the Hawks manager during Buckner’s second season and released an emotional statement at the time. Included was this: “He had a following wherever we went. People waited for him before we arrived to the stadium and stayed around well after the game to shake his hand, get his autograph or take a picture. He always made time for others.”
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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