Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
January 30, 2006
All They Do is Give Out Awards

MVPs and other awards were presented last night at the 83rd annual New York baseball dinner. Ripken, Gibson and Cepeda were among the Hall of Fame talent handing out the hardware. One thing I didn't know was that Bill Buckner and Mookie Wilson became friends:

Mets outfielder Cliff Floyd took home the "Good Guy" award, while Mookie Wilson and Bill Buckner -- forever linked by that famous groundball in the 1986 World Series -- received the "Willie, Mickey and The Duke" award.

Wilson, one of the most popular players in Mets history, spoke at the podium about the former Boston first baseman.

"Billy and I are really good friends now and we see each other quite a lot. He is a true friend and he is a true professional," Wilson said. "As great as that moment was for myself and New York City, I don't think that defines Bill Buckner's life or career."


Posted by David Pinto at 07:22 AM | Awards | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Indeed, Mookie. Billy Buck played 22 seasons and had a career .289 BA. The statheads were always against him because he took so few walks, but rarely, if ever, did they take notice how infrequently he struck out (finished 1st or 2nd in most ABs per K eight times) not to mention how he played through injuries that would have retired most ballplayers.

Posted by: Wooden U. Lykteneau at January 30, 2006 08:20 AM

It ought to reflect on John McNamara's career, not Buckner's. McNamara, you remember, chose not to put his defensive replacement (Dave Stapleton? - I'm hazy on that) onto the field because he wanted Buckner to experience the joy of being on the field when the championship was won. Rarely has sentiment been so misplaced.

Posted by: Joel Jacobsen at January 30, 2006 01:06 PM

micky mookie & mickey

If only we could have an all new york mets- yankees outfield of mickey rivers, mookie wilson and mickey mantle, it would be mickey mookie and mickey!

And not half bad either--speed, defense and power and more speed and defense!

arthur john kyriazis
philly

Posted by: arthur john kyriazis at January 30, 2006 04:33 PM

Too bad Dave Henderson and Donnie Moore can't have something like this....

Posted by: Yankee Despiser at January 31, 2006 09:13 AM

Mookie and Bill are often on the memerobilia circuit together, signing photos of the ball going through Buckner's legs and Mookie motoring down the line.

Posted by: jwb at February 5, 2006 01:25 AM
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