For coach, friendship in cards with ump

Arkansas coach Chris Bucknam watches Saturday, April 22, 2017, during the John McDonnell Invitational at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE)
Arkansas coach Chris Bucknam watches Saturday, April 22, 2017, during the John McDonnell Invitational at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE)

FAYETTEVILLE -- After the 1985 World Series, umpire Don Denkinger was Public Enemy No. 1 in St. Louis.

Denkinger even received some death threats because he blew a call at first base that helped the Kansas City Royals rally to win 2-1 in Game 6 to tie the series 3-3. The Royals became World Series Champions with an 11-0 game victory in Game 7.

Cardinals fans believe St. Louis wold have won Game 6 if not for Denkinger calling Royals pinch hitter Jorge Orta safe at first base -- replays showed he was out – leading off the bottom of the ninth inning to start a two-run rally for Kansas City.

In the summer of 1986, Chris Bucknam managed to make two Cardinals fans forgive Denkinger.

Bucknam, the University of Arkansas men's cross country and track field coach since 2008, had completed his second year as the coach at Northern Iowa when he returned 34 summers ago to visit his parents in Wayland, Mass., a Boston suburb.

Bucknam's father, Paul, was a civil engineer. He had a client from St. Louis and his family, including a 16-year-old son, visiting Boston and was trying to figure out what to do for entertainment.

The Red Sox, on their way to the American League East title in 1986, had a home series when the St. Louis client and his family visited. Bucknam suggested to his father they take the Cardinals fans to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park.

'My dad goes, 'There's no way. The series is already sold out,' " Bucknam said. "I said, 'I think I can get tickets.' He kind of laughed at me. He said, 'You live in Iowa. How are you going to get Red Sox tickets?' "

What Bucknam hadn't yet told his father was that he had become friends with Denkinger, an Iowa native.

Denkinger, who began umpiring in the minor leagues in 1960 and worked in the American League from 1969-98, is now retired in Arizona. But in 1986 he lived in Waterloo, Iowa. More importantly for Bucknam, Denkinger was a Northern Iowa booster.

A few weeks before Bucknam visited his parents, he met Denkinger at a fundraising event for UNI athletics.

"We became friends," Bucknam said. "He told me, 'If you ever need tickets to a game in any ballpark, let me know. I can get tickets anywhere.' "

With that conversation fresh in his mind, Bucknam called Denkinger's home and spoke to his wife. By the next day, tickets to the Red Sox game had been arranged. Denkinger also was working the series.

Bucknam and his father picked up the visitors from St. Louis at the Boston airport and headed to Fenway Park with the client and his son.

"My dad said, 'Supposedly, my son has tickets. If the tickets don't work out, we've got a plan B,' " Bucknam said. "I said, 'Dad, I think everything's going to be cool.'

"So we went into Boston, got over to Fenway, and I got nervous about the tickets, because my dad was giving me such a hard time about it.

"My hands were shaking going up to the will call window. I told them who I was, and they said, 'Mr. Bucknam, here are your four tickets.' I turned around and said to my dad, 'Got 'em.'

"He was smiling, but he told his client, 'We're probably going to be sitting behind one of the poles.' "

The view was a little better than that.

"I showed an usher the tickets, and he said, 'You're right down here,' " Bucknam said. "We were two rows behind home plate."

The umpiring crew came out to home plate to meet with the managers. The teenager from St. Louis recognized Denkinger.

"The kid goes, 'Dad, there he is -- Don Denkinger!' " Bucknam said. " 'That's the bum that cost us the World Series!' "

Bucknam finally decided to tell the St. Louis fans about how he got the prime tickets.

"I said, 'Well, don't be too hard on him. He's a good guy, and we're sitting in his seats. I got these tickets from Don Denkinger,' " Bucknam said. "Their jaws were on the ground.

"We were so close to home plate, we could almost touch Denk. I yelled out to him, and he looked over and said, 'Coach Buck, how ya doing?' He walked up to the screen and said, 'I'm glad you got the tickets. Everything good? You guys like your seats?'

"I said, 'Denk, these seats are great. Thanks so much.' He said, 'Enjoy the game. Glad you made it.' "

The St. Louis fans suddenly had been tranformed into Denkinger fans.

"They loved the guy after that," Bucknam said. "They were so appreciative of him getting us those tickets. The father said, 'This is awesome. I can't wait to tell this story when we go home, that we sat in Don Denkinger's seats.' "

Denkinger has made peace with other Cardinals fans as well. He has appeared at baseball card shows in St. Louis and signed photos of the play where he missed the call.

In 2005, Denkinger was the guest speaker at a dinner celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1985 Cardinals winning the National League pennant with proceeds benefiting a youth foundation of Whitey Herzog, the St. Louis manager from 1980-90.

"Denk is a class act," Bucknam said. "One of the best guys you could ever know."

In a 2014 interview with MLB.com, Denkinger said he got used to be known for his missed call in the 1985 World Series.

"I'm obviously reminded constantly that I made a mistake," Denkinger said. "You know what? I was an umpire for more than 30 years. I know I made a lot of mistakes. That one was just blown out of proportion."

Replay began being used in World Series games in 2009, allowing for calls to be reviewed and overturned.

"I'm all for review," Denkinger told MLB.com. "And if they had it back [in 1985], probably nobody would ever know my name."

Bucknam visited Denkinger at his home in Iowa.

"Denk took me down to the basement to show me his man cave," Bucknam said. "On the wall he had a huge painting of him calling the guy safe when he was out.

"He said, 'Hey, it's just part of the game, man. I made a mistake, and I've tried to own up to it.'

"I just thought that was the coolest thing, that he didn't let the call define his career."

In this Aug. 11, 1988, file photo, Toronto Blue Jays' Tony Fernandez, left, reacts after he was hit on the head by a pitch by New York Yankees' Dave Eiland as umpire Don Denkinger (right) stands nearby at Yankee Stadium in New York. Denkinger made a controversial call during the 1985 World Series which helped the Kansas City Royals eventually win the series. 
(AP Photo/Ray Stubblebine, File)
In this Aug. 11, 1988, file photo, Toronto Blue Jays' Tony Fernandez, left, reacts after he was hit on the head by a pitch by New York Yankees' Dave Eiland as umpire Don Denkinger (right) stands nearby at Yankee Stadium in New York. Denkinger made a controversial call during the 1985 World Series which helped the Kansas City Royals eventually win the series. (AP Photo/Ray Stubblebine, File)

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