Bill Buckner

Red Sox first baseman whose 1986 World Series error became legendary.

William Joseph Buckner (December 14, 1949 – May 27, 2019) was an American first baseman and left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams from 1969 through 1990, most notably the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox.

Quick Facts

Position: First baseman; Outfielder
Bats: Left
Born: 14 December 1949
Birthplace: Vallejo, California, U.S.
Died: 27 May 2019
Place of death: Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: September 21

Lore & Background

Buckner was traded to the Red Sox near the end of May in 1984. During the 1985 season, he started all 162 games and set a major league record for first basemen with 184 assists. His tenth-inning error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets remains one of the most memorable plays in baseball history.

Reader's Guide

Buckner led his league in assists four times, with his 1985 mark remaining the American League record. He retired with the fourth-most assists by a first baseman (1,351) in major league history despite not playing the position regularly until he was 27 years old.

Did You Know?

Buckner won the National League batting title with a .324 average in 1980.
He set a National League record for first basemen with 159 assists in 1982, then surpassed that with 161 in 1983.
He ended his career with 2,715 hits and 498 doubles.