New Book: Buckner's Hatred For Red Sox Fans Led To '86 Error

New tell-all book blows the lid off the 1986 World Series

Dennis, MA (Dec. 20) - The sleepy Cape Cod town of Dennis, Mass. has been thrown into the spotlight in the wake of the soon-to-be-released, explosive, tell-all book that reveals why Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner allowed the ball to go between his legs, costing his team Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, and ultimately the series itself.

"Buckner hated the Red Sox fans," author Marty Habner said in an interview yesterday to promote his new book, Billy Buck Rhymes With F**K: The REAL Story Of The 1986 World Series.

According to Habner's exclusive interviews with Buckner, conducted only after falsely telling the former player that they wouldn't be published until after his death, Buckner launched into an expletive-laced tirade while discussing the fickle, sometimes mean-spirited nature of frustrated Red Sox fans.

"Buckner said that Boston 'didn't deserve' a championship," Habner said. "In fact, the more he talked about those fans, the more incensed he got. There were a few times I was actually afraid for my own safety," Habner added, saying that Buckner would get this "crazed, glassy look in his eyes," and sometimes spoke while fondling a recently-sharpened six-inch knife used for gutting deer.

But what really shocked Habner was Buckner's admission, which will almost certainly rock the baseball world and, Habner hopes, sell a sick amount of books.

"He said he did it on purpose," Habner said of the famous error in the bottom of the 10th in Game 6, when Buckner allowed Mookie Wilson's dribbler to elude him, scoring Ray Knight and completing an improbable, three-run rally with two outs to win the game, 6-5.

Habner said that Buckner stewed at first base in the bottom of the 10th, when the Red Sox got the first two men out and were one strike away from their first world championship in 68 years.

"He told me that it was all he could do in the top of the 10th not to go after Dave Henderson," Habner said, referring to Henderson's home run that put the Red Sox in front, 4-3. "To this day, Buckner says he doesn't speak to Henderson. 'He almost cost us costing us the World Series,' was how he put it," Habner said.

Habner's book will be released on Tuesday.