Forgiveness
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The following post was written for PFB by Jason Boyett, author of the Pocket Guides to the Bible, the Apocalypse, and Adulthood (among others). If you’re not subscribed to his blog, you better have a really good excuse.
Forgiveness is a powerful thing. Nothing better soothes the sharp edges of sin than the mercy and restoration that forgiveness provides, and sometimes it takes the sporting world to show us that.
Earlier this week, Bill Buckner threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Boston Red Sox home opener, and by all accounts, it was a profound moment for everyone involved. A few quotes from coverage of the event:
“I’ve probably never almost been in tears for somebody else on a baseball field. I think that was just the most unbelievable thing,” [Red Sox first baseman Kevin] Youkilis said. “I wanted to shake his hand, because that’s a true man in life.” (USAToday)
The experience, Buckner said, was “probably about as emotional as it could get.” (ESPN)
“It was kind of neat. I know he was emotional on the mound. You know, it was emotional for me, too.” (Dwight Evans in the Boston Globe)
Buckner was one of my favorite players as a kid. My brother and I were Cubs fans, and we loved the great mustachioed one. I was sad when he left the Cubs in 1984, but I was even sadder for him when he made the error that cost Boston the 1986 series. I wasn’t surprised, though. As the Cubbie faithful, we learn to expect that kind of thing. (It wasn’t even that surprising when it was revealed that, underneath that fateful first baseman’s glove when Mookie Wilson’s ball passed through his wickets on October 25, old Billy Buck was wearing a Cubs batting glove. Figures.)
So I was thrilled to read that the whole ugly episode might be put to rest at Tuesday’s home opener. And by all accounts, it was. Buckner almost didn’t come — he knew the questions about the play would come up, and after having had that scab ripped open time after time after time over the last 22 years, he wasn’t interested in doing it again. But finally he agreed to do it. And the crowd cheered for the goat. An entire ballpark got goosebumps. Eyes turned red. Grown men got a little weepy. At the press conference afterwards, it took Buckner several seconds to gather himself enough to speak.
He had been forgiven, but he had to forgive, too.
“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 told reporters. He stopped again to collect himself. “… for what they put me and my family through. So I’ve done that. I’m over that. And I’m just happy that I just try to think of the positive. The happy things.”
The guy made one mistake, and it defined the last two decades of his life. That’s incredible. That’s horrible. Hopefully he can put it behind him. Hopefully Boston can let it go, too. Hopefully we can remember how good it is to forgive, and to be forgiven.
Next in line? Steve Bartman. Someday.
Tags: Bill Buckner, Forgiveness
