Baseball world remembers Bill Buckner

The baseball world mourned the loss of Bill Buckner, an All-Star first baseman who amassed more than 2,700 hits and won a batting title in his 22-year career, after he died Monday at the age of 69 following a battle with Lewy body dementia.

Batting champ, All-Star Buckner dies at 69

• Buckner spent the majority of his career with the Dodgers (eight seasons), Cubs (eight seasons) and Red Sox (five seasons).

“We are proud that Bill Buckner wore a Red Sox jersey during the course of a terrific career that spanned more than two decades,” said Red Sox principal owner John Henry. “His life was defined by perseverance, resilience and an insatiable will to win. Those are the traits for which he will be most remembered. We join the baseball world in sending our condolences and our love to Jody and the entire Buckner family.”

“Bill Buckner personified toughness and grit, and his determination to play through pain defines him far more than any single play ever could,” said Red Sox chairman Tom Werner. “The standing ovations our fans gave him on his visits back to Fenway Park, most notably when he threw out the first pitch before our opener in 2008, illustrate the respect and admiration we all had for Billy Buck. We mourn his loss and offer condolences to his family and many friends.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bill Buckner, a great ballplayer and beloved member of the Cubs family,” said Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts. “Bill’s remarkable 22-year-career included eight years with the Cubs during which he won a batting title in 1980 and earned an All-Star appearance in 1981. After his playing days, Bill served as a valued member of our player development staff and was a fan favorite during his appearances at our Cubs Conventions. On behalf of the Cubs organization, I extend our sympathies to Bill’s family and his many friends.”

“The Dodgers are saddened to hear about the passing of Bill Buckner, who died this morning after battling a long illness,” said a tweet from the team’s official Twitter account. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Buckner family.”

• Former Mets and Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine was among the first to offer his condolences. Valentine and Buckner were Dodgers teammates over the first three seasons of Valentine’s career, selected just one round apart by Los Angeles in the club’s legendary 1968 Draft class. The two remained friends for decades to come.

• Steve Garvey, another member of the Dodgers’ 1968 Draft class, also remembered Buckner via Twitter.

Tommy Lasorda, the Dodgers' manager for Buckner's entire tenure in Los Angeles, told MLB.com that Buckner "was one of the best players that ever played for me."

"He was a great player and one of the best competitors I have ever seen," Lasorda added. "I was so proud of his accomplishments and contributions to the game. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

• Mookie Wilson will forever be entwined with Buckner through the 1986 World Series play that occupies such a large portion of each player’s legacy. The two made several public appearances together after their playing days and became friends. Wilson took a moment to remember Buckner via a statement released by the Mets on Monday.

"We had developed a friendship that lasted well over 30 years," Wilson said. "I felt badly for some of the things he went through. Bill was a great, great baseball player whose legacy should not be defined by one play."

• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed a similar sentiment.

“I just hope that people remember what a baseball player he was," Roberts told MLB.com. "One play shouldn’t define him.”

• Other players from the 1986 Mets, including Lenny Dykstra, Keith Hernandez and Ray Knight, all took to Twitter to share their condolences as well.

• Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins was a teammate during some of Buckner’s most productive years with the Cubs in 1982 and ‘83 -- Jenkins’ final Major League seasons. The ace acknowledged Buckner’s contributions to the Fergie Jenkins Foundation, which supports more than 500 charities in Canada and the United States.

• Current Indians manager Terry Francona was the Red Sox skipper when Buckner threw out the first pitch and helped unfurl the team’s World Series championship banner before Boston’s 2008 home opener. That was a special day for both Buckner and Red Sox fans as they shared a moment of forgiveness and mutual adoration; one that Francona remembered fondly on Monday.

“I thought it was kind of a healing moment, it seemed, for a lot of people and for him, I hope,” Francona said. “You have to be up here to understand how people take things that happen. I thought that was a really cool moment.”

• Kevin Youkilis, who played for the Red Sox from 2004-12, also reminisced about witnessing Buckner’s special return to Fenway Park.

• Brandon Hyde, the Orioles’ first-year manager, worked alongside Buckner in the Cubs’ organization and shared a story Monday that spoke to Buckner’s class.

"I’m so sorry for Bill Buckner,” Hyde told MLB.com. “Just awful. I was the farm director when he was with the Cubs. Condolences go out to him and his family. He was a great man. I have a lot of memories of Bill.

“I was field coordinator my first year there. At the time, the Cubs had an organizational policy where they wanted everybody to shave, including the coaches. I had to be the one to tell Bill Buckner to shave his mustache. That was one of the worst moments of my professional career: telling this legend he has to lose his identity. Fortunately, he took it really well and treated me really well. It’s a sad day.”

• Buckner even made an impression on players of future generations, such as Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza.