In the same way that Boston Red Sox First Baseman Bill Buckner is famous for having blown the 1986 World Series for his team and its legions of pennant-hungry fans, music talent scout Dick Rowe has long been famous as the man who passed on The Beatles.

Yesterday, Reuters published an article (War against Web tops music biz “screw ups” list) about a Blender magazine list which restores the good name of Dick Rowe, whose mistake only affected him and the company he worked for. The article points out that the music industry has been nothing short of spectacular in its inability to capitalize on the tens of millions of music lovers who have gravitated to the Internet. Indeed, the industry’s misdirected efforts have destroyed the very services that could have secured its prosperity.

Dick Rowe, who absolved his Beatles mistake by signing the Rolling Stones, passed away just four months before Bill Buckner’s famous error. The record industry is running out of time to find its own absolution.