AURELIUS - All it takes is one swing of the bat to set your destiny in baseball.
Whether it's a strike-out to end the biggest game of your life, or in Bucky Dent's case, a home run on baseball's biggest stage.
“I love how with that one at-bat it gave me a new middle initial added to my name.” Dent said.
Former New York Yankees shortstop Dent was at Bass Pro Shops on Saturday, signing autographs for more than 500 fans.
One thing they all had in common was that they had seen or heard of that home run in 1978 that sent Boston home to watch the Yankees win another World Series.
On October 2 of that year against the Red Sox, Dent, who began his career with the White Sox and went on to play for Texas and Kansas City, hit the homer that gave the Yankees a division title and sent them to the postseason.
On Saturday, Dent gave credit to the team he helped send home.
“Prior to 2004, I never thought I'd see (Boston) win a World Series.” Dent said. “It's hard to say whether or not they are for real with their latest success, but they have done a great job of putting together a team over the years.”
Several Yankees fans remember Dent only for that one hit.
“The home run is the only thing I can remember about him play-wise,” Yankees fan Cathy Techman said. “It's kind of sad to say that.”
“He took Boston out of the playoffs with one swing of the bat.” Yankee loyalist Floyd Smith added.
“He was a World Series hero in my mind for doing that.”
That one home run, hit nearly 30 years ago, draws comparisons to the one hit by Yankees third baseman Aaron Boone in 2003.
Boone's big hit sent New York to the World Series, though the team later lost to Florida, and Dent's homer helped spiral the Yankees to a world championship.
“They're both big home runs, but as far as the magnitude, the one I hit was more of a greater home run.” Dent said
“With Boone's, it was a different type of situation. When I hit that home run, the series was just a one-game series. Everybody was watching. It's really special to know that this is the 30th anniversary and that everyone remembers where they were when I hit that.”
Dent had many more accomplishments in his career. In 1989, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner named him the manager to replace Dallas Green.
Dent was later let go by the Yankees during the 1990 season.
“One thing that's different about the Boss now is that he's way more patient.” Dent said. “Back then, he wanted to win and he wanted to win now. I had a team that was going through a rebuilding phase and during what would have been my first full season, he let me go.”
Despite his short tenure as the Yankees' manager, Dent has a lot of successes to his name -- even those that have nothing to do with the home run. His son Cody, also an infielder, recently committed to play baseball for the University of Florida.
Even though that one crack of the bat was nearly three decades ago, for two hours Saturday, local Yankees fans reminisced. One fan had been there to see it live, after buying a ticket to the game for $4.50.
“Of all the things in that stadium going on at the time, when he hit that home run it got so quiet in there.” said Frank Lumb, who asked Dent to sign his ticket from the game. “The momentum of the game changed with just that one swing.”
Though to Red Sox fans, he will always be known as Bucky (expletive) Dent, to Yankees fans, he is known as one of the heroes of the ‘78 season.
“I love how with that one at-bat it gave me a new middle initial added to my name.” Dent said.
Former New York Yankees shortstop Dent was at Bass Pro Shops on Saturday, signing autographs for more than 500 fans.
One thing they all had in common was that they had seen or heard of that home run in 1978 that sent Boston home to watch the Yankees win another World Series.
On October 2 of that year against the Red Sox, Dent, who began his career with the White Sox and went on to play for Texas and Kansas City, hit the homer that gave the Yankees a division title and sent them to the postseason.
On Saturday, Dent gave credit to the team he helped send home.
“Prior to 2004, I never thought I'd see (Boston) win a World Series.” Dent said. “It's hard to say whether or not they are for real with their latest success, but they have done a great job of putting together a team over the years.”
Several Yankees fans remember Dent only for that one hit.
“The home run is the only thing I can remember about him play-wise,” Yankees fan Cathy Techman said. “It's kind of sad to say that.”
“He took Boston out of the playoffs with one swing of the bat.” Yankee loyalist Floyd Smith added.
“He was a World Series hero in my mind for doing that.”
That one home run, hit nearly 30 years ago, draws comparisons to the one hit by Yankees third baseman Aaron Boone in 2003.
Boone's big hit sent New York to the World Series, though the team later lost to Florida, and Dent's homer helped spiral the Yankees to a world championship.
“They're both big home runs, but as far as the magnitude, the one I hit was more of a greater home run.” Dent said
“With Boone's, it was a different type of situation. When I hit that home run, the series was just a one-game series. Everybody was watching. It's really special to know that this is the 30th anniversary and that everyone remembers where they were when I hit that.”
Dent had many more accomplishments in his career. In 1989, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner named him the manager to replace Dallas Green.
Dent was later let go by the Yankees during the 1990 season.
“One thing that's different about the Boss now is that he's way more patient.” Dent said. “Back then, he wanted to win and he wanted to win now. I had a team that was going through a rebuilding phase and during what would have been my first full season, he let me go.”
Despite his short tenure as the Yankees' manager, Dent has a lot of successes to his name -- even those that have nothing to do with the home run. His son Cody, also an infielder, recently committed to play baseball for the University of Florida.
Even though that one crack of the bat was nearly three decades ago, for two hours Saturday, local Yankees fans reminisced. One fan had been there to see it live, after buying a ticket to the game for $4.50.
“Of all the things in that stadium going on at the time, when he hit that home run it got so quiet in there.” said Frank Lumb, who asked Dent to sign his ticket from the game. “The momentum of the game changed with just that one swing.”
Though to Red Sox fans, he will always be known as Bucky (expletive) Dent, to Yankees fans, he is known as one of the heroes of the ‘78 season.
