Steve Bartman incident

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Steve Bartman (top middle wearing black sweatshirt) and Moises Alou both reach to catch the foul ball hit by Luis Castillo that made him infamous

Steven D. "Steve" Bartman (born October 1, 1977) is a resident of the Chicago area, who gained notoriety on the evening of October 14, 2003, for attempting a catch of a foul pop-up in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field.

Foul ball incident

At the time of the incident, Mark Prior was pitching a three-hit shutout for the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning. Luis Castillo was batting, with one out and Juan Pierre standing on second base. The Chicago Cubs were leading 3-0, led the series three games to two, and were five outs away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 1945 and attempting to win it for the first time since 1908. Coincidentally, Game 6 was played on the 95th anniversary of the clinching game of the Cubs' last championship.

Bartman was sitting in a box seat (aisle 4, row 8, seat 113) in the front row along the left field corner wall behind the bullpen when a pop foul off the bat of Castillo drifted toward his seat. Cubs left fielder Moises Alou ran over to attempt a catch, but Bartman, who was watching the ball and not the fielder, got to the ball first. Alou slammed his glove down in frustration and was seen shouting in Bartman's direction, and the Cubs argued for an interference call. Video replays showed that Alou may have had an opportunity to make the catch if Bartman (as well as the surrounding fans) had not reached out for the ball but there's no way of possibly knowing this for sure. Umpire Mike Everitt's call of no fan interference was correct; it appears that the ball was entering the stands when the incident occurred. The rules of baseball specify that fan interference cannot be called on a ball hit into the stands, only when a spectator reaches into the field of play and interferes. The play rattled the team, and Castillo walked on the next pitch, the ball getting away from the catcher, allowing Pierre to move to third. That opened the floodgates (along with a crucial error by SS Alex S. Gonzalez, as noted below, who booted a potential double play moments later) and the Marlins scored eight runs, won the game, and later the series.

Details of the Aftermath

For the Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins

Following this incident, the Marlins scored eight unanswered runs:

• Castillo, given new life, drew a walk. Ball four was a wild pitch from Cubs starter Mark Prior, which allowed Pierre to advance to third base.
• Ivan Rodriguez singled to drive in the first run of the inning, making the score 3-1.
• Miguel Cabrera hit a ground ball to Alex S. Gonzalez, who booted the ball. Had Gonzalez fielded the ball properly, the Cubs could have ended the half-inning with a double play.
• Derrek Lee doubled, tying the score and chasing Prior from the game. Relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth issued an intentional walk, but then gave up a sacrifice fly to give Florida a 4-3 lead. Another intentional walk loaded the bases, followed by a bases-clearing double from Mike Mordecai which made the score 7-3. Pierre singled to put Florida ahead 8-3. Finally Luis Castillo, whose foul popup initiated the controversy, popped out to second to end the inning. In total, the Marlins had sent twelve batters to the plate and scored eight runs. Florida won the game 8-3.
• The next night, Florida overcame Kerry Wood and a 5-3 deficit to win 9-6, and won the pennant.
• The Marlins would go on to win the 2003 World Series, beating the New York Yankees four games to two.

For Steve Bartman

Bartman had to be led away from the park under escort for his own safety, due to Cubs fans shouting profanities towards him, as well as others throwing debris onto the field and towards the exit tunnel from the field. The game was delayed for approximately 6 minutes.

The stigma encountered by this loss by the Chicago Cubs in their end of season run had many Cubs fans blaming Bartman for the Cubs' series loss, as well their failed bid to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Bartman's name, as well as personal information about him, appeared on Major League Baseball's online message boards minutes after the game ended. The next day, the Chicago Sun-Times also released his name, as well as his address and place of business in an online article. The editor justified this by saying Bartman's information was already "out there." Bartman was hounded by reporters; he had his phone disconnected and did not go to work. In his defense, childhood neighbors said he was a great guy, a lifelong Cubs fan, and a Little League coach for the town of Niles.

The Cubs issued the following press release:

The Chicago Cubs would like to thank our fans for their tremendous outpouring of support this year. We are very grateful.

We would also like to remind everyone that games are decided by what happens on the playing field — not in the stands. It is inaccurate and unfair to suggest that an individual fan is responsible for the events that transpired in Game 6. He did what every fan who comes to the ballpark tries to do — catch a foul ball in the stands. That's one of the things that makes baseball the special sport that it is.

This was an exciting season and we're looking forward to working towards an extended run of October baseball at Wrigley Field.

Bartman gained instant national attention, most of it negative or derogatory. Many websites spoofing him were created, and late-night shows such as the David Letterman and Jay Leno shows made him the subject of many jokes. (Letterman did state, in Bartman's defense, that one play alone cannot account for two straight losses.) Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich went as far as telling the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper that "[Bartman] better join the witness protection program." Multiple editorial cartoons showed Bartman in hiding with Osama bin-Laden and Saddam Hussein. In the days following the incident, Bartman received offers to do movies or talk shows because of his sudden celebrity status. He declined all such offers. ESPN did air a live interview on SportsCenter with a person claiming to be Bartman, but it turned out to be a prank that fooled the network. Bartman was also offered asylum by Florida Governor Jeb Bush where Marlin fans viewed Bartman in a more favorable light. Bartman was also reportedly offered a job with the Florida Marlins, but Bartman rejected both offers.

In an attempt to save face and retain his status as a true Cubs fan, Bartman donated the numerous gifts given to him to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the name of Ron Santo, a former Cubs third baseman turned broadcaster who suffers from diabetes. Calling this his "final statement," it seems Bartman intends to return to obscurity.

Bartman said, "I look forward to, and expect to return to my normal life activities, including cheering our beloved Cubs toward many more exciting postseasons of play."

Destruction of the Bartman ball

The loose ball was snatched up by a Chicago lawyer and sold at an auction in December. Grant DePorter purchased it for $113,824.16 on behalf of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group. On February 26, 2004, it was publicly exploded in a procedure designed by Cubs fan and Academy Award winning special effects expert Michael Lantieri.

In 2005, the remains of the ball were used by the restaurant in a pasta sauce. While no part of the ball itself was in the sauce, the ball was boiled and the steam captured, distilled, and added to the final concoction.

Scapegoat factor

Bartman became a scapegoat for the Cubs' failure to advance to the World Series, joining other alleged "curses" or "jinxes" of teams that frequently fall short of expectations, such as the "Curse of the Billy Goat", "Curse of the Bambino", "Curse of Muldoon", "Curse of Rocky Colavito", "Curse of Billy Penn", and "Curse of the Black Sox".

Steve Bartman in popular culture

• The 2003-04 episode of Law & Order called "Vendetta" starts off, even though it takes place in New York, based on Bartman's experience.
• The direct-to-DVD Family Guy movie, Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, lampooned the incident. In the movie, Stewie urged Bartman to go after the foul ball, saying "It's a foul ball, what harm could it do?"
• An episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody called "Big Hair & Baseball" on Disney Channel was based entirely on the incident.
• Bartman was featured in a Late Night with Conan O'Brien sketch, in which O'Brien and former sidekick Andy Richter took one of their "driving desk" trips through Chicago. At one point, O'Brien drove the desk through Wrigley Field, where he and Richter came across Bartman (played by an actor dressed as Bartman). O'Brien and Richter proceeded to beat him up with baseball bats.
• Humor publication The Onion included the following in a sidebar on steroids in baseball: "2003: During a pivotal NLCS playoff game, steroids-crazed Cubs fan Steve Bartman runs onto the field of play and crushes a bases-loaded double for the opposing team, giving the Marlins the lead and ruining the Cubs World Series hopes."[1]
• Popular Chicago comedy house The Second City spoofed Bartman in a sketch where an actor playing him prevents a group of firemen from catching a baby being dropped from a burning building.
• Bartman was mentioned in episode two of the third season of Entourage. In the episode, Ari Gold says, "Baby, it wasn't the Cubs fault when that douche bag grabbed the foul ball either, but they don't get a World Series ring. There are no asterisks in this life, only scoreboards." Jeremy Piven, who plays Ari Gold, is a Chicago native and an avid Cubs fan.
• On an episode of According to Jim, which is based in Chicago, the lead character Jim has to hide Bartman in their home after the incident during the opening sequence. Jim uses this to make up new names for Bartman, all of which poked fun at Bartman "ruining" the game.
• Steve Bartman's outfit was one of the most popular costumes in the Chicago area for Halloween in 2003.
• Jay Leno was asking questions of the audience, to make wishes come true, when one says he once dropped a ball in a high school championship game, and wishes for a second chance. Jay has a major league ballplayer throw him a ball. Down in the first row jumps a man in a Cubs cap, who hops in the way and then drops the ball. Jay calls out "Stop that Bartman!"
• Two years prior to Steve Bartman's incident, an episode of Grounded for Life titled "Catch Us If You Can" featured Sean catching a fly ball, costing the New York Yankees the game and resulting in many angered fans. According to TV.com "On October 17, 2003, this episode replaced the scheduled airing of "Ticket to Ride" on WB. The decision to reschedule came after a 26-year-old Cubs fan angered fans by catching a foul ball at the October 14th game between the Cubs and the Marlins where the Cubs ended up losing." (However, the episode was based off of the Jeffrey Maier incident during the 1996 American League Championship Series.)[2]
• During an episode of The Simpsons, "The Boys of Bummer", when they are trying to give Bart an opportunity to catch a ball, the ball is hit towards the bleachers. However, Homer comes up dressed like Steve Bartman and catches the ball in the same manner.

See also

• Jeffrey Maier

Bartman Seat

• Aisle 4, Row 8, Seat 113 on the 3rd base of Wrigley Field, known as the "Bartman Seat"