A generally mediocre, light-hitting baseball shortstop who is most known for his home run on October 2, 1978 as a member of the New York Yankees that led the Yanks to a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox in a one game playoff.
The Yankees and Red Sox had finished the regular season tied atop the American League East, so were forced to play a one-game playoff in Boston. With the Yankees trailing 2-0 in the 7th inning, 2 outs and 2 men on base, Dent hit a Mike Torrez pitch that just cleared the Fenway Park's Green Monster in left field, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead, which they never relinquished (en route to a 5-4 win and the AL East title). Dent's homer is one of many bad memories for Red Sox fans, whose team had not won a World Series since 1918.
The Yankees went on to win the World Series that year (in 6 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers), and Dent was named series MVP (he hit .417 in the series).
Dent had only 4 other home runs during that 1978 season, and a mere 40 total over his 12 season career (1973-1984, with the Chicago White Sox, Yankees, Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals). His career batting average was only .247. In his defense, in those days, most shortstops were known more for fielding than hitting. In fact, Dent was a 3-time All Star (1975, 1980, 1981).
He later managed the Yankees for parts of 1989 and 1990.
While researching this writeup, also found that Bucky Dent is the name of a Chicago pop-rock band.