I think it has to be Bill Buckner.  We have been very spoiled this decade and the 18-1 and this year's Celtics loss really stung but in 86 to come that close to a World Series title for what would have been the first title in 68 years was very painful for this city.  

Len Bias.

Second worst: Reggie Lewis.

Quote from: JBcat on June 20, 2010, 07:52:56 PM

I think it has to be Bill Buckner.  We have been very spoiled this decade and the 18-1 and this year's Celtics loss really stung but in 86 to come that close to a World Series title for what would have been the first title in 68 years was very painful for this city. 

I was only a pup when this loss happened so I don't really know how devastating it was at the time. I know what it means historically, but I don't remember what it was like the day after. However, through a historical perspective it wasn't the series clincher, it was a Game 6 that tied the series.  So while it did change the tone and gave the Mets hope, Boston had a great chance to win Game 7 with Hurst on the rubber. 

NO. WRONG. It was over. Every Red Sox fan knew it.

That was the most devastating loss in Boston sports history and it isn't even close. The Buckner error was just the tip of the iceberg on things that went wrong in that series and why it was so devastating. If you weren't there to experience it or remember it you can't explain it away by saying it was only game six or because there was another game or any of the other stuff you might read in wikipedia explaining the event.

The Pats Superbowl loss is tame by comparison and this Celtics loss isn't in the same league as devastating. The Pats had won three Superbowls just years before everyone watching that Superbowl knew the Pats defense was ripe for the picking and that the Pats left too much time on the clock. The Celtics won just two years ago and everyone watching that game knew by about the 4 minute mark of the game that the Celts were getting outplayed and that the refs were going to cut them zero breaks.

The Red Sox hadn't won a WS title in 68 years. They hadn't even been in the World Series in 11 years. They were up big late and were one strike away from winning on numerous occasions. When the simple, easy ground ball was hit down first, a ball that every baseball fan watching the game who had ever played even little league swears to this day they could have fielded without a problem, went through Buckner's legs, the win that was within our grasp was snatched away.

It was that, that, that close. And then......gone.

It's not even close in my book. Except of course if you count the loss of Bias or Lewis, which weren't games. Those were mind numbing, shocking, loss of life, you remember where you were when you heard the news events. Nothing compares to the Reggie loss. But that 1986 World Series comes as close to a death in the family type event as any game can.

Len Bias.

Second worst: Reggie Lewis.

Lucky, TP. Bias would have extended the life of the big three for at least 5 more years. Like no one ever forgets where they heard about 9/11 and for us old timers when JFK was assasinated, I know exactly where I was when I heard about Bias, the very worst moment in Celtics. With him, the Lakers and then the Pistons and then the MJ Bulls might not have gone down as such. Len Bias was that much of a beast, a mean, skilled tough as nails bball player, who was better than MJ in college and maybe could have surpassed him in the pros. Devastating, devastating, devastating.

Reggie was a tragedy, but his loss not even close to the ramifications of LB's loss.

My worst Cs moment, which I personally witnessed, was Magic's baby hook. It happened on the end of the floor where my seats were. I wanted to puke!!!!!!!!!

Both CsFansince60's and Nick make great points.

It is sad how some LA Bloggers think about Bias and Lewis - I was chatting with one a week or so ago, and the mindset was to basically get over it.......and then they said that..

"We had no idea how good Bias was going to be."

That was so funny - here was a man that was a dominant in college as Michael was, and "we had no idea how good he was going to be."

I guess that's why we took him 2nd in 86, huh?

LA is So Detached from reality sometimes.

Not for the city of boston. There are not enough true fans. This celtic team deserved more.This will always be a red sox city first.   

1986 world series hands down. (please do not call it buckner, so many other factors went into that debacle)

#2, super bowl 42.

#3, the refs taking game 7 from the real champions and giving it to the lakers in 2010.