Bucky F&*$ing Dent

I finished reading the book Bucky F&*$ing Dent that was written by the actor (and I guess writer) David Duchovny.

I heard him speaking about the book on a radio show and decided to grab it.

Duchovny explained that he was in the New England area and he heard two Bostonians talking about the game in 1978 to settle the AL East. The guys were roofers and when they got into the discussion one mentioned:

Bucky F&*$ing Dent.

As writing ideas go...it was all Duchovny needed to get started.

The book was really good...I enjoyed the characters and the baseball talk throughout.

I also liked it because I recalled every single minute of that day so long ago.

I even remember the day before...

...I was listening to the Yankees play the lowly Indians.

All they had to do was win and they would eliminate the Sux.

They got hammered.

I was 13 years old.

I was pissed!!

Mostly because the game to settle it all would be played on Monday afternoon...and I had school and a soccer game immediately following it.

I hated soccer but was on the team because I liked the coach.

"I'm skipping the soccer game," I announced.

"You aren't skipping anything," Mom said. "You signed up. You have to show up."

I was miserable!

"You'll be home for the end of the game."

I tried Dad...but he sided with Mom:

"You have to do what you said you'd do."

(Those two really ruined me as I became the most responsible adult ever!).

So I went to the game...

...I had a tiny transistor radio.

I knew my coach would let me listen during the soccer game because he was also a Yankees fan.

Except he wanted to listen to the game too!

I had the radio through the first few innings.

Boston 2 New York 0 was the score in the middle innings when Coach Loretto grabbed the radio from me and sent me into the game.

I was kicking and screaming...but I went into the game and never really drifted from the sideline much.

"Fuzzy!" Coach yelled out across the field, "Bucky Dent just hit a three-run homer!"

I thought he was messing with me.

Dent didn't hit homers!

I ran straight off the field as the ball went rolling by. Coach Loretto was laughing. We shared the radio bud for a moment.

It was true!

Mercifully the soccer game ended.

I made my way home.

Reggie hit a homer to make it New York 5 Boston 2 but there was still time left.

As we pulled into the driveway I was struck by a strange sight:

Dad's car was home!

I raced to the house.

Dad was sitting in the living room watching Goose Gossage try to hold on in the 9th.

"Why aren't you working?" I asked.

"I'm sick," Dad said.

We both laughed.

Goose hung on, retiring Yaz on a popup to Nettles.

Yankees 5 Red Sox 4.

Two weeks later they won the World Series for the 22nd time.

So, to David Duchovny...

...thanks for the memory!