Mookie shares Thurman Munson Award with wife Rosa, backs Buck

NEW YORK -- Former Major Leaguer Mookie Wilson was in good spirits on Monday evening at Chelsea Piers, receiving the Thurman Munson Award for his accomplishments on the baseball field and charitable contributions off it.

Wilson, of course, is a Mets icon, best known for hitting a slow roller to Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner in the 1986 World Series. The ball went through Buckner’s legs, allowing Ray Knight to score the winning run and tie the World Series at three games apiece, before the Mets took the series in seven.

Wilson’s smile was even brighter on Monday because his wife, Rosa, was in attendance. Having been married for 43 years, Wilson explained, she's been by his side, experiencing it all with him.

“[Rosa] has been with me from the good times to the bad times, so she understood the struggles,” Wilson said. “She sacrificed as much as I did. She allowed me to go to communities and do things on family time. She is a part of this award as much as I am.”

Winning the award wasn’t the only thing on Wilson’s mind. He said he's pleased that Buck Showalter was hired to manage the Mets, the team Wilson played for during almost the entire 1980s. Out of all the candidates the Mets interviewed this offseason, Showalter was Wilson’s choice.

"I know the game has changed, but I think Buck has enough old-school things that are important to the game,” Wilson said. “He understands that numbers mean a great deal, but there are other things that are just as important. I think Buck is going to have that mixture to make this thing work. I loved him when he was with the D-backs, Orioles and the Yankees. He knows what he is doing. Given the resources, the Mets made the right move.”

Watching the Mets isn’t the only thing Wilson is looking forward to. He can’t wait to participate in the Old-Timers' Day Game, which will take place on Aug. 27 at Citi Field. It will be the team’s first Old-Timers' Day since 1994.

“I’m glad it’s back. … I’ve seen a few when I was playing. The Mets quit Old-Timers' a while back,” Wilson said. “I think it’s great because it gives the fans an opportunity to connect with their history. That’s always important.”

Wilson, 66, is now an ambassador for the Mets and wants to spread the good word on the game of baseball.

“I hope to do more on the Major League side for all of baseball. That’s my goal. That’s what I would love to do instead of just focusing strictly on New York,” Wilson said. “I think baseball is in a crossroads now where we have to really promote ourselves a little better than we have in the past.”