Steve Bartman
perkdog
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Remember him? The Cubs are giving him a 2016 Witkd Series ring, I think it's a nice gesture but I'm sure Moises Alou would disagree lol
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Classy move by the Cubs and a very eloquent and heartfelt statement from Bartman, who has not commented publicly since 2003.
CHICAGO -- Steve Bartman received a World Series ring from the Cubs on Monday and hopefully some closure.
Bartman, a scapegoat since the 2003 playoffs when he tried to catch a foul ball, was presented a personalized ring on Monday by Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts. In the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series between the Cubs and Marlins, Bartman reached for a foul ball and deflected it, preventing Chicago left fielder Moises Alou from catching it. If Alou had caught the ball, it would've been the second out of the inning and the Cubs would've been four outs away from winning their first NL pennant since 1945. Instead, the Cubs gave up eight runs in that inning, lost the game, 8-3, and the NLCS.
The Cubs issued the following statement regarding the ring:
"On behalf of the entire Chicago Cubs organization, we are honored to present a 2016 World Series championship ring to Mr. Steve Bartman," the statement said. "We hope this provides closure on an unfortunate chapter of the story that has perpetuated throughout our quest to win a long-awaited World Series. While no gesture can fully lift the public burden he has endured for more than a decade, we felt it was important Steve knows he has been and continues to be fully embraced by this organization. After all he has sacrificed, we are proud to recognize Steve Bartman with this gift today."
Bartman, who has not talked publicly since the 2003 incident, also issued a statement.
"Although I do not consider myself worthy of such an honor, I am deeply moved and sincerely grateful to receive an official Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Championship ring. I am fully aware of the historical significance and appreciate the symbolism the ring represents on multiple levels.
"My family and I will cherish it for generations. Most meaningful is the genuine outreach from the Ricketts family, on behalf of the Cubs organization and fans, signifying to me that I am welcomed back into the Cubs family and have their support going forward. I am relieved and hopeful that the saga of the 2003 foul ball incident surrounding my family and me is finally over.
"I humbly receive the ring not only as a symbol of one of the most historic achievements in sports, but as an important reminder for how we should treat each other in today's society," Bartman said in his statement. "My hope is that we all can learn from my experience to view sports as entertainment and prevent harsh scapegoating, and to challenge the media and opportunistic profiteers to conduct business ethically by respecting personal privacy rights and not exploit any individual to advance their own self-interest or economic gain.
"Moreover, I am hopeful this ring gesture will be the start of an important healing and reconciliation process for all involved," he said. "To that end, I request the media please respect my privacy, and the privacy of my family. I will not participate in interviews or further public statements at this time."
Bartman also thanked the Ricketts family, Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and the entire organization for the gift and "for providing the City of Chicago and Cubs fans everywhere an unforgettable World Championship in 2016."
Added Bartman: "I am happy to be reunited with the Cubs family and positively moving forward with my life."
Carrie Muskat has covered the Cubs since 1987, and for MLB.com since 2001. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings. You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat and listen to her podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
Great move.
Class act by the Cubs org
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A very classy move by the Cubs organization.
The foul ball Bartman attempted to catch was clearly foul and therefore up for grabs...the inept play of the Cubs lost the game giving up 8 more runs and the series, as stated above...always in need of a scapegoat, the fans almost hounded him to death...literally. Alou overreacted to the deflected ball and the scene made Bartman the target of Cub fans hatred.
Good for you Steve!!
The thing I still have yet to remotely comprehend is why Steve Bartman was vilified to the point of having his life turned completely upside down, whereas Alex Gonzalez was essentially granted immunity after botching a routine grounder that Ozzie Smith would have successfully handled 999 times out of 1,000 while high on a cocktail of drugs.
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Alou's histrionics certainly didn't help. The media. too. And he was an easier scapegoat to shoulder the blame.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
As far as I'm concerned, Alex Gonzalez is one of the luckiest individuals to walk the face of the earth. If the Bartman play never happened, he would have been hung in effigy. Instead, it's as if his gaffe never happened. The fan going after a foul ball turned out to be the culprit, and the handsomely paid shortstop, for all intents and purposes, was pardoned. Welcome to the Cubs' pre-championship bizarro world.
I don't think he would have turned two on this play; from what I remember, a 20-yr-old Miggy could run. But 1st & 3rd with two outs undoubtedly would have had a vastly different complexion, and the impending debacle very well could have been put to sleep.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=sR4r5QesGIg
you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet
Nice gesture by the Cubs.
Nice gesture sure whatever , why did it take this long? If they hadn't won he would still be the scapegoat .
Situational ethics.
Baseball legend is built on curses and goats and all sorts of hocus pocus that has absolutely nothing to do with the game itself. Had Bartman been A marlins fan the story would have been over in 24 hours. Unfortunately he was a long suffering Cubs fan that was not nimble or savvy enough to allow the fielder to make the play.
I could see myself in the same position. many of you can. Ball is in the air and your instinct is to try to catch it. Cubs made a nice gesture and I hope he sells the damn thing on Ebay and moves to a better town.
considering the cubs ruined this guys life...its the least they could do
Bartman is a bigger, better man that I could be in that situation. For over a decade, the Cubs as an organization tacitly blamed him for that loss. People in Chicago did their best to try and ruin this guy's life. Just horrible.
And Moises Alou? What a piece of garbage he is. Flipped out and blamed Bartman even though he later admitted he couldn't have caught the ball anyway. Screw him.
Glove was at a necessarily bad angle, but a play looked possible.
Definitely looks like Alou could have caught the ball. The ball is in the stands, but being a Cub fan he should have let Alou make the play if possible.
The faces in the crowd remind me of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Cubs fans? No way , Rockwell was a positive upbeat guy he didn't paint anything that depressing
Don't tell me - tell him. Alou is the one who said it.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3324343
From the same story.
After the game, he said: "I timed it perfectly, I jumped perfectly. I'm almost 100 percent that I had a clean shot to catch the ball. All of a sudden, there's a hand on my glove."
He didn't have kind words for Bartman on that night either.
"Hopefully, he won't have to regret it for the rest of his life," he said.
Looks like he changed his tune to protect Bartman. Good for him.
Weather he could or couldn't have caught the ball.....he should have been given the chance to try...by a CUB fan. If it's the other team.....by all means get in the way.
So the fans should intentionally affect play on the field. That is not very sportsamanlike.
For Cowboys fans, there is no such concept, lol..
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
If the ball is foul...yes.
How does this come into play in Football??!!
He went back on it later and has gone back to the "I could have caught it" narrative.
Baseball does put itself of the unique position of allowing fans to access the field of play.
I always thought that if it was a fair ball you are not supposed to bother the ball. Actually a fielder can make a play on a ball that is foul and should be allowed that oppertunity(sp). I don't know what the actual rule is, but I have heard of fans being called for fan interference and change a call or out.
I figure that as long as you don't fall out of the stands, you can make a play. Baseball is a dumb game. Traditional, but dumb.