Bill Buckner was born on Wednesday, December 14, 1949, in Vallejo, California. Buckner was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 21, 1969, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Bill Buckner baseball stats page.
"The fans like players who go all out, play hard. I do the best I can. I enjoy playing. That's all I've done." - Buckner, Bill. Bill Buckner: Anything but a choke. Gordon, Grant. Glendale News Press Staff Writer. 17 November 2005.
Bill BucknerBill Buckner Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#292) |
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Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bill BucknerBill Buckner Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
- | - | Did Not Pitch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
Bill BucknerBill Buckner Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1969 | 20 | Dodgers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1970 | 21 | Dodgers | 28 | 68 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .191 | .225 | .265 |
1971 | 22 | Dodgers | 108 | 358 | 37 | 99 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 41 | 11 | 4 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 6 | .277 | .306 | .366 |
1972 | 23 | Dodgers | 105 | 383 | 47 | 122 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 17 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | .319 | .348 | .410 |
1973 | 24 | Dodgers | 140 | 575 | 68 | 158 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 46 | 17 | 5 | 34 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 15 | .275 | .297 | .351 |
1974 | 25 | Dodgers | 145 | 580 | 83 | 182 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 58 | 30 | 10 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | .314 | .351 | .412 |
1975 | 26 | Dodgers | 92 | 288 | 30 | 70 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 31 | 17 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 11 | .243 | .286 | .358 |
1976 | 27 | Dodgers | 154 | 642 | 76 | 193 | 28 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 60 | 26 | 6 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | .301 | .326 | .389 |
1977 | 28 | Cubs | 122 | 426 | 40 | 121 | 27 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 60 | 21 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 16 | .284 | .314 | .425 |
1978 | 29 | Cubs | 117 | 446 | 47 | 144 | 26 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 74 | 18 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 16 | .323 | .345 | .419 |
1979 | 30 | Cubs | 149 | 591 | 72 | 168 | 34 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 66 | 30 | 6 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 16 | .284 | .319 | .437 |
1980 | 31 | Cubs | 145 | 578 | 69 | 187 | 41 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 68 | 30 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 | .324 | .353 | .457 |
1981 | 32 | Cubs | 106 | 421 | 45 | 131 | 35 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 75 | 26 | 9 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 17 | .311 | .349 | .480 |
1982 | 33 | Cubs | 161 | 657 | 93 | 201 | 34 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 105 | 36 | 7 | 26 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 14 | .306 | .342 | .441 |
1983 | 34 | Cubs | 153 | 626 | 79 | 175 | 38 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 66 | 25 | 5 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | .280 | .310 | .436 |
1984 | 35 | Cubs | 21 | 43 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .209 | .239 | .209 |
1984 | 35 | Red Sox | 114 | 439 | 51 | 122 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 67 | 24 | 5 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | .278 | .321 | .410 |
1985 | 36 | Red Sox | 162 | 673 | 89 | 201 | 46 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 110 | 30 | 5 | 36 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 16 | .299 | .325 | .447 |
1986 | 37 | Red Sox | 153 | 629 | 73 | 168 | 39 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 102 | 40 | 9 | 25 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 25 | .267 | .311 | .421 |
1987 | 38 | Red Sox | 75 | 286 | 23 | 78 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 13 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | .273 | .299 | .322 |
1987 | 38 | Angels | 57 | 183 | 16 | 56 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .306 | .337 | .432 |
1988 | 39 | Angels | 19 | 43 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .209 | .271 | .209 |
1988 | 39 | Royals | 89 | 242 | 18 | 62 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 13 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | .256 | .290 | .351 |
1989 | 40 | Royals | 79 | 176 | 7 | 38 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | .216 | .240 | .267 |
1990 | 41 | Red Sox | 22 | 43 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .186 | .234 | .256 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
22 Years | 2,517 | 9,397 | 1,077 | 2,715 | 498 | 49 | 174 | 5 | 1,208 | 450 | 111 | 453 | 47 | 97 | 42 | 247 | .289 | .321 | .408 |
Bill BucknerBill Buckner Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1970 Dodgers | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 9.00 |
1970 Dodgers | LF | 19 | 15 | 414 | 31 | 1.6 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.02 |
1970 Dodgers | RF | 1 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.13 |
1971 Dodgers | 1B | 11 | 7 | 200 | 76 | 6.9 | 76 | 70 | 6 | 0 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 10.26 |
1971 Dodgers | LF | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 0.82 |
1971 Dodgers | RF | 82 | 76 | 1,992 | 170 | 2.1 | 169 | 164 | 5 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .994 | 2.29 |
1972 Dodgers | 1B | 35 | 31 | 825 | 336 | 9.6 | 333 | 312 | 21 | 3 | 28 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .991 | 10.90 |
1972 Dodgers | LF | 9 | 9 | 228 | 22 | 2.4 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.61 |
1972 Dodgers | RF | 52 | 48 | 1,300 | 104 | 2.0 | 103 | 102 | 1 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .990 | 2.14 |
1973 Dodgers | 1B | 93 | 87 | 2,467 | 946 | 10.2 | 944 | 893 | 51 | 2 | 93 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .998 | 10.33 |
1973 Dodgers | LF | 36 | 34 | 904 | 68 | 1.9 | 67 | 67 | 0 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .985 | 2.00 |
1973 Dodgers | RF | 15 | 10 | 280 | 23 | 1.5 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.22 |
1974 Dodgers | 1B | 6 | 5 | 141 | 51 | 8.5 | 50 | 49 | 1 | 1 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .980 | 9.57 |
1974 Dodgers | LF | 134 | 127 | 3,393 | 240 | 1.8 | 234 | 230 | 4 | 6 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .975 | 1.86 |
1974 Dodgers | RF | 3 | 1 | 57 | 6 | 2.0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.84 |
1975 Dodgers | LF | 72 | 67 | 1,689 | 144 | 2.0 | 142 | 138 | 4 | 2 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .986 | 2.27 |
1976 Dodgers | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1976 Dodgers | LF | 152 | 150 | 4,031 | 321 | 2.1 | 316 | 309 | 7 | 5 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .984 | 2.12 |
1976 Dodgers | RF | 6 | 3 | 75 | 3 | 0.5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.08 |
1977 Cubs | 1B | 99 | 98 | 2,546 | 1,035 | 10.5 | 1,025 | 963 | 62 | 10 | 75 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .990 | 10.87 |
1978 Cubs | 1B | 105 | 104 | 2,697 | 1,159 | 11.0 | 1,153 | 1,071 | 82 | 6 | 85 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .995 | 11.54 |
1979 Cubs | 1B | 140 | 139 | 3,651 | 1,384 | 9.9 | 1,377 | 1,255 | 122 | 7 | 118 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .995 | 10.18 |
1980 Cubs | 1B | 94 | 89 | 2,325 | 902 | 9.6 | 896 | 823 | 73 | 6 | 67 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .993 | 10.41 |
1980 Cubs | LF | 42 | 38 | 1,087 | 78 | 1.9 | 78 | 74 | 4 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.94 |
1980 Cubs | RF | 12 | 11 | 271 | 23 | 1.9 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .913 | 2.09 |
1981 Cubs | 1B | 105 | 105 | 2,798 | 1,101 | 10.5 | 1,090 | 998 | 86 | 17 | 91 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .985 | 10.46 |
1982 Cubs | 1B | 161 | 161 | 4,291 | 1,723 | 10.7 | 1,711 | 1,549 | 162 | 12 | 88 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .993 | 10.77 |
1983 Cubs | 1B | 144 | 136 | 3,633 | 1,534 | 10.7 | 1,521 | 1,365 | 156 | 13 | 131 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .992 | 11.30 |
1983 Cubs | LF | 15 | 13 | 282 | 23 | 1.5 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.20 |
1984 Cubs | 1B | 7 | 5 | 147 | 68 | 9.7 | 68 | 64 | 4 | 0 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 12.49 |
1984 Cubs | LF | 2 | 2 | 54 | 6 | 3.0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.00 |
1984 Red Sox | 1B | 113 | 113 | 2,960 | 1,081 | 9.6 | 1,066 | 977 | 89 | 15 | 75 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .986 | 9.72 |
1985 Red Sox | 1B | 162 | 162 | 4,321 | 1,589 | 9.8 | 1,577 | 1,399 | 178 | 12 | 143 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .992 | 9.85 |
1986 Red Sox | 1B | 138 | 138 | 3,575 | 1,236 | 9.0 | 1,222 | 1,071 | 151 | 14 | 104 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .989 | 9.23 |
1987 Red Sox | 1B | 74 | 73 | 1,862 | 669 | 9.0 | 663 | 608 | 55 | 6 | 53 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .991 | 9.61 |
1987 Angels | 1B | 5 | 5 | 114 | 38 | 7.6 | 38 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 9.00 |
1988 Angels | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 18.00 |
1988 Royals | 1B | 21 | 18 | 492 | 176 | 8.4 | 175 | 163 | 12 | 1 | 12 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .994 | 9.60 |
1989 Royals | 1B | 25 | 20 | 524 | 207 | 8.3 | 204 | 191 | 13 | 3 | 20 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .986 | 10.51 |
1990 Red Sox | 1B | 15 | 8 | 244 | 82 | 5.5 | 82 | 76 | 6 | 0 | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 9.07 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1B Totals | 1,556 | 1,504 | 39,828 | 15,397 | 9.9 | 15,275 | 13,936 | 1,333 | 128 | 1,203 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .992 | 10.35 | |
LF Totals | 485 | 455 | 12,115 | 934 | 1.9 | 920 | 900 | 20 | 14 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .985 | 2.05 | |
RF Totals | 171 | 150 | 3,999 | 330 | 1.9 | 326 | 319 | 7 | 4 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .988 | 2.20 | |
21 Years | 2,212 | 2,109 | 55,942 | 16,661 | 7.5 | 16,521 | 15,155 | 1,360 | 146 | 1,205 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .991 | 7.97 |
Bill BucknerBill Buckner Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1969 Dodgers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | - | - |
1970 Dodgers | 0 | 1 | .000 | 9 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 9.7 | 17.0 | - | - | - |
1971 Dodgers | 4 | 1 | .800 | 19 | 1 | n/a | 71.6 | 19.9 | 8.7 | - | - | - |
1972 Dodgers | 10 | 3 | .769 | 13 | 0 | n/a | 76.6 | 29.5 | 10.4 | - | - | - |
1973 Dodgers | 12 | 2 | .857 | 9 | 0 | n/a | 71.9 | 16.9 | 12.5 | - | - | - |
1974 Dodgers | 31 | 13 | .705 | 9 | 0 | n/a | 82.9 | 24.2 | 10.0 | - | - | - |
1975 Dodgers | 8 | 3 | .727 | 22 | 0 | n/a | 48.0 | 19.2 | 9.3 | - | - | - |
1976 Dodgers | 28 | 9 | .757 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 91.7 | 24.7 | 10.7 | - | - | - |
1977 Cubs | 7 | 5 | .583 | 24 | 0 | n/a | 38.7 | 18.5 | 7.1 | - | - | - |
1978 Cubs | 7 | 5 | .583 | 13 | 0 | n/a | 89.2 | 26.2 | 6.0 | - | - | - |
1979 Cubs | 9 | 4 | .692 | 9 | 0 | n/a | 42.2 | 21.1 | 9.0 | - | - | - |
1980 Cubs | 1 | 2 | .333 | 7 | 0 | n/a | 57.8 | 32.1 | 8.5 | - | - | - |
1981 Cubs | 5 | 2 | .714 | 1 | 0 | n/a | 42.1 | 26.3 | 5.6 | - | - | - |
1982 Cubs | 15 | 5 | .750 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 43.8 | 25.3 | 6.3 | - | - | - |
1983 Cubs | 12 | 4 | .750 | 2 | 0 | n/a | 39.1 | 20.9 | 9.5 | - | - | - |
1984 Cubs | 0 | 0 | .000 | 12 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 43.0 | 21.5 | - | - | - |
1984 Red Sox | 2 | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39.9 | 11.6 | 6.6 | - | - | - |
1985 Red Sox | 18 | 4 | .818 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42.1 | 18.7 | 6.1 | - | - | - |
1986 Red Sox | 6 | 4 | .600 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 34.9 | 25.2 | 6.2 | - | - | - |
1987 Red Sox | 1 | 3 | .250 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 143.0 | 15.1 | 6.8 | - | - | - |
1987 Angels | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 13 | 0 | 39 | 61.0 | 26.1 | 5.7 | - | - | - |
1988 Angels | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | - | - | - |
1988 Royals | 3 | 1 | .750 | 28 | 0 | 42 | 80.7 | 12.7 | 7.1 | - | - | - |
1989 Royals | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 42 | 0 | 19 | 176.0 | 16.0 | 11.0 | - | - | - |
1990 Red Sox | 0 | 0 | .000 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 43.0 | 21.5 | 14.3 | - | - | - |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
22 Years | 183 | 73 | .715 | 260 | 1 | 126 | 54.0 | 20.7 | 7.8 | - | - | - |
Did you know that Bill Buckner was the ninth batting champion from the Chicago Cubs, joining Ross Barnes (.429 in 1876), George Gore (.360 in 1880), Cap Anson (.399 in 1881), King Kelly (.354 in 1884 & .388 in 1886), Heinie Zimmerman (.372 in 1912), Phil Cavarretta (.355 in 1945), Billy Williams (.333 in 1972) and Bill Madlock (.354 in 1975 & .339 in 1976). From that elite set of batting champions, only Gore, Cavarretta, Williams and Buckner were left-handed hitters, and no Cubs' lefty since Buckner has ever won a batting title.
Bill Buckner Rookie Card | 1970 Topps Baseball Card (#286)
Baseball Almanac Research Library
Did you know that Bill Buckner had a 100-RBI season in both the American (1985 & 1986) and National League (1982)? Those in the "club" when Buckner joined in 1985 were, Dick Allen, Bobby Bonds, Jeff Burroughs, Sam Crawford, Frank Howard, Nap Lajoie, Lee May, Tony Perez, Frank Robinson, Ken Singleton, Rusty Staub, Dick Stuart, and Richie Zisk.
When Bill Buckner hung up his cleats on May 30, 1990, he had played Major League Baseball in four different decades, debuting during the 1960s, retiring in the 1990s, one of only nineteen players in baseball history (at that time). [4 Decade Players]
Bill Buckner played in 1,556 regular season games at first base across those four decades and committed only 128 errors (and he was involved in 1,203 double plays). He is, however, unfairly remembered for committing one infamous error during the 1986 World Series.
Must C Classic | © 2015 MLB Advanced Media
Mets Win Game 6 on Mookie Wilson's Grounder That Goes Through Bill Buckner's Legs
In 1985, Bill Buckner played (and started) in all 162 games at first base, only the second American League player in baseball history to field (and start) all 162 games at first, behind Norm Siebern! Buckner was the first from the Red Sox, a durability feat not matched in Boston since Buckner. His 184 assists shattered the AL single season record for assists by a first baseman, once held by Mickey Vernon who had 155 and held the record since 1949. No first baseman in the junior circuit has surpassed the record set by Buckner in 1985.