Bill Buckner Is No Martha Coakley

John Tabin compares former Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner to Martha Coakley on The American Spectator blog:

When we think of people from Massachusetts choking horribly, the names of Buckner & Coakley shall forever be linked.

Yes, the ball went through Buckner's legs and the New York Mets won Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Yet Buckner had such bad legs even if he had got to the ball there's no guarantee he would have beat Mookie Wilson to first base.

Besides there was a Game 7 and the Red Sox did have a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the 6th inning. How exactly was it Buckner's fault that Calvin Schiraldi gave up a home run to Ray Knight to give the Mets the lead the following inning?

Tabin also asserts, "Red Sox fans curse his name to this day."

Nonsense. On Opening Day 2008, when the Red Sox received their 2007 World Series rings, Buckner was invited to throw out the first pitch. He received a huge standing ovation and threw a perfect strike to Dwight Evans.

Given Coakley's comments about standing outside Fenway Park somehow I doubt she would ever be that warmly received by Red Sox Nation.