OT: R.I.P. Bud Harrelson

[colbert17]

A Met legend passes away at age 79.

Bud Harrelson, Miracle Mets World Series shortstop, dead at 79

Bud Harrelson, the shortstop on the Mets’ first two World Series teams and later the club’s manager for parts of two seasons, died Wednesday night at 79.

nypost.com

 

[RUPete]

RIP. Wasn't he the one who had that famous fight with Pete Rose in the playoffs?

 

[LeapinLou]

RIP. Wasn't he the one who had that famous fight with Pete Rose in the playoffs?

Yeah, unfortunately that fight is always the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Buddy. Unfortunate because he had a fantastic and long career as a player, coach, and manager that shouldn't be defined by that. RIP

 

[RU#1fan]

RIP. Wasn't he the one who had that famous fight with Pete Rose in the playoffs?

Yes.. Buddy won’t take any shat from the dirty slide by Gamblin’ Rose.

 

[B1GRUfan]

Another childhood hero lost. Growing up a Mets fan I'm a little too young to remember the 69 series but I do remember the 73 season and the fight with Rose. I also remember Harrelson at SS & Felix Milan at 2B as light hitters but great fielders. With that great pitching staff they usually led the league in double plays. Harrelson couldn't have been much more than 150 lbs soaking wet. Hard to imagine guys that small compared to the modern athletes playing the game today. Definitely a different era. RIP Buddy.

 

[Rutgers8086]

Kept his baseball card in my Little League hat for good luck.
RIP.

 

[MADHAT1]

RIP Bud you were one of the Mets greats

 

[MadRU]

RIP Buddy

 

[BigEastPhil]

RIP Buddy. Seems like yesterday he got into the fight with Pete Rose - except it was 50 years ago

Man how time flies !

 

[Ronnie_B]

Interesting tidbit about Buddy, he was born on June 6, 1944. D-Day.

 

[colbert17]

 

[zappaa]

When I was 10 years old and the Met bat boy in spring training, I’d wear Buddy’s pants because they were smaller than the bat boy pants.
I ended up playing against him and he’d kid me “you still want my f’n pants kid”
He was my hero growing up, a flawless defensive machine with an amazing accurate arm and a great man.
RIP my friend

 

[newell138]

Met legend, no doubt. I still have his 1968 and 1969 cards

 

[RUScrew85]

Kept his baseball card in my Little League hat for good luck.
RIP.

Couldn't ask for a nicer, more appropriate way to honor him.

 

[e5fdny]

When you’re not the biggest kid, #3 became someone you admired/followed.

But I’m a lefty so…🤷‍♂️

 

[RU#1fan]

View embedded media

Forgot the Jerry Koosman jumped into the brawl at the end.

 

[ruinac]

RIP to my favorite Met of all time.

 

[RU_Coming_Along]

Who won the fight?

 

[RUPete]

Who won the fight?

Well, that’s a little bit of a gray area. But I do remember Pete Rose appearing on Phil Donahue later saying that the restaurant where he ate in NYC that night burned his steak on purpose so I guess that’s our answer. 😁

 

[RUaMoose]

Yeah, unfortunately that fight is always the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Buddy. Unfortunate because he had a fantastic and long career as a player, coach, and manager that shouldn't be defined by that. RIP

RIP but I believe he was manager of the “worst team money can buy”, the ‘91 Mets. Shouldn’t define him tho. He was the Mets’ Gene Michael as a SS

Little background to that ‘’73 NLCS & incident with Rose. Bud was talking a lot of sh!t about the Reds in the press. Don’t recall the details but that wasn’t as “spontaneous” as it’s presented

 

[colbert17]

RIP but I believe he was manager of the “worst team money can buy”, the ‘91 Mets. Shouldn’t define him tho. He was the Mets’ Gene Michael as a SS

Little background to that ‘’73 NLCS & incident with Rose. Bud was talking a lot of sh!t about the Reds in the press. Don’t recall the details but that wasn’t as “spontaneous” as it’s presented

In one of the clips Harrelson said that the Reds hitters hit like him. Basically putting himself and the Reds down. As for the fight Buddy said Rose picked him up and gently placed him on the ground. A nice way of saying Rose body slammed him.

 

[colbert17]

He was the Mets’ Gene Michael as a SS

Never heard that comparison. Watched them both play for many years and Buddy was so much better than Michael. If you want to go by straight stats you can make that argument but for people who watched both play anyone will tell you that Harrelson was head and shoulders above Stick.
Harrelson did make two AS games by the way, won a Gold Glove and on three occasions received a few down ballot MVP votes.
I'll happily defer to @zappaa on this one as he knew both.

 

[willisneverrana43]

RIP. Wasn't he the one who had that famous fight with Pete Rose in the playoffs?

It’s the reason that Pete Rose isn’t in the Hall.

Loved Buddy.

 

[ruinac]

It’s the reason that Pete Rose isn’t in the Hall.

Loved Buddy.

Official HOF votes: Harrelson (1) Rose (0)

* Write-In votes for Rose get discarded

 

[willisneverrana43]

Who won the fight?

Mets, 3 games to 2!

 

[RUforJERSEY]

R.I.P. Buddy. Remember him well as a player of course, but my enduring image is of him jumping in the air pumping his fist as Ray Knight raced home in 1986.

 

[rudad02]

Never heard that comparison. Watched them both play for many years and Buddy was so much better than Michael. If you want to go by straight stats you can make that argument but for people who watched both play anyone will tell you that Harrelson was head and shoulders above Stick.
Harrelson did make two AS games by the way, won a Gold Glove and on three occasions received a few down ballot MVP votes.
I'll happily defer to @zappaa on this one as he knew both.

Harrelson was much better than Michael. No comparison.

 

[MADHAT1]

It’s the reason that Pete Rose isn’t in the Hall.

Loved Buddy.

you can bet on it 😁

 

[zappaa]

Never heard that comparison. Watched them both play for many years and Buddy was so much better than Michael. If you want to go by straight stats you can make that argument but for people who watched both play anyone will tell you that Harrelson was head and shoulders above Stick.
Harrelson did make two AS games by the way, won a Gold Glove and on three occasions received a few down ballot MVP votes.
I'll happily defer to @zappaa on this one as he knew both.

Stick was fun to emulate with his little hop/skip throw to first
As to the better defensive player, Buddy was in a different stratosphere.
Not even comparable.

 

[RUaMoose]

Never heard that comparison. Watched them both play for many years and Buddy was so much better than Michael. If you want to go by straight stats you can make that argument but for people who watched both play anyone will tell you that Harrelson was head and shoulders above Stick.
Harrelson did make two AS games by the way, won a Gold Glove and on three occasions received a few down ballot MVP votes.
I'll happily defer to @zappaa on this one as he knew both.

Not looking at any stats just from recollection they both excelled defensively while being offensively challenged

 

[zappaa]

Not looking at any stats just from recollection they both excelled defensively while being offensively challenged

Stick was smooth and flashy, but couldn’t play with Buddy.
Buddy was a machine with great range and a rocket arm.
Little tidbit about Stick, if there was a fight everyone knew to not get close to him, he was know league wide as having lethal quick fists, I’ve seen him in action fooling around and he was scary.
Ray Knight and Bill Madlock, no one f’kd with them for the same reason

 

[colbert17]

Bill Madlock

If Mad Dog was afraid of him that's good enough for me

 

[yesrutgers01]

As someone else mentioned- back in the 60’s/70’s if you were the little kid playing baseball- Buddy was your guy.

I always took number 3 on any team and any sport I played.

The guy was as good as there ever was with a glove. Grote/Garrett/Buddy/Felix/Hammer

And no doubt in wiffleball- Everyone copied Felix and Milner

 

[Bill 86]

Forgot the Jerry Koosman jumped into the brawl at the end.

Wayne Garrett was my favorite Mets from that era and always remember Garrett being the next man in, flipping over the pile.

 

[Bill 86]

Harrelson was much better than Michael. No comparison.

I would compare Harrelson to Mark Belanger.