Lord of the Rings: The End of an Error

Yesterday was opening day in Boston. We got our championship rings in what turned out to be another big opening day ceremony. I can't believe that I have now seen two of these. It opened up with a string of people holding flags of the many countries that have fans of the Red Sox. Fans that have either wrote letters to the Red Sox claiming their love for the team, or have emailed their thoughts to the club.



The Boston Pops played the theme from Jurassic Park and then slowly the players came out to receive their rings. It was nice to see Doug Mirabelli there to get his ring too. Without him, we would never have had anyone catch Tim's knuckler. I hope he is still sitting by the phone in case we need him again!

The music turned to "Shipping off to Boston" and we knew that Papelbon was making his way out. He got his ring and then we waited for the Big Papi.



He then lead the team to centerfield where he and Johnny Pesky raised the 2007 flag. Then the Boston Pops played the National Anthem and they announced that there was going to be a special Red Sox to throw out the first pitch. From behind the huge American flag that draped over the green monster, out stepped Bill Buckner.



As he walked slowly from the outfield, he began to wipe away tears. The crowd cheered him. It was a cleansing, a forgiveness - warranted or not. It had been over 10 years since he had last been inside Fenway and then he was wearing a White Sox jersey and he was the hitting coach. This time, he was returning as one of us. He wore his old number 6 jersey and as he stood on the mound he wiped away more tears. He threw the ball to our former right fielder Dwight Evans. It was a perfect strike.
And at least for today, Stanley beat Mookie to the bag. And that little roller up along first, was fielded cleanly by our banged up first baseman. It was the way it should have been.



He talked about the ceremony after the game and he broke down a couple of times then too. The ceremony was for the fans to welcome back a great ball player who never deserved the treatment the fans and the media gave him. I think for the most part, the fans, at least the real ones, knew he was never the reason we lost. I think he knew that too.

The Boston Globe reported the story like this: "The pause lasted a full 13 seconds. Bill Buckner sat at a table in the Fenway Park interview room, a microphone in front of him, and pondered the question. Had he had second thoughts about throwing out the first pitch at yesterday's home opener and celebration of the 2007 World Series win?

His eyes grew wet and red. Dwight Evans, seated next to him, reached out and put his arm around Buckner.

"I really had to forgive, not the fans of Boston, per se, but I would have to say in my heart I had to forgive the media," Buckner said, after apologizing for taking so long to answer. "For what they put me and my family through. So, you know, I've done that and I'm over that."
But that hardly stopped the emotions. Not on the mound. Not in the interview room.
After all the ceremony, the handing out of rings and hoisting of the championship banner and introducing of Patriots, Bruins, and Celtics legends, there was Buckner walking out from left field to the mound. He walked slowly, perhaps a remnant of those aching ankles and knees that marred his career. And as he walked, the fans cheered.

They stood, their ovation carrying him from the outfield through the infield to the mound, where he acknowledged them and clapped. They stood after that, still cheering, as he looked around, as he readied himself, as he threw a strike to Evans at home plate.
"Just seeing him walk out, I couldn't have been happier for him," Evans said. "This guy had tremendous numbers, total stats, and I don't even know if he got a couple votes for the Hall of Fame, which I really think is a shame.
"No one played harder than Bill. No one prepared themselves as well as Bill Buckner did, and no one wanted to win as much as Bill Buckner.
"It was kind of neat. I know he was emotional on the mound. You know, it was emotional for me, too."

And Buckner almost didn't come. "I just didn't think I was going to do it," said Buckner, who was called about a month and a half ago by Dick Bresciani, now a vice president emeritus with the Sox. "I told Dick I'd think about it, but I made up my mind. I wasn't going to come. Then I prayed about it a little, and here I am. Glad I came."

This was not the first time Buckner had faced Fenway and the fans since his infamous 1986 moment. Not only did he play for the Red Sox for 75 games in 1987, he returned to the team for 22 games in 1990. But since that time, there has been healing in Red Sox Nation. His name might still evoke a picture of the ball heading between his legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, but with two championships in the meantime, the hurt has subsided.

More than affecting him, the blame affected his family, especially his kids.
He was affected again yesterday, but this time the emotion was positive. Buckner said he'd like to return, take part in reunions, see his old friends. He would have earlier, but other commitments prevented him. Until yesterday.

"I've probably never almost been in tears for somebody else on the baseball field," said Kevin Youkilis, who made a point to shake Buckner's hand. "I think that was just the most unbelievable thing. It shows how great of a man Bill Buckner is.
"There's not too many people that can do what he did today and face thousands of people that booed him, threatened his life. For a man to step out there on the field, it shows how much of a man he is.
"I tip my cap. I just wanted to shake his hand. Because that's a true man in life."



This ceremony was about putting the past behind us, starting fresh, with new and greater expectations. It was about forgiveness and the accepting of apologies. If only our lives were like this... and people say this is just a game?? Oh yeah, there was a game, we won 5-0.




We love you Buckner, although we never said it.