Steve Bartman, it wasn't your fault

:applause: Great letter from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune...

Barreiro: An open letter to Steve Bartman
By Dan Barreiro, Star Tribune
Published October 17, 2003

Dear Steve,

As a former Illinois resident, and lifelong Cubs fan, I am demanding an apology. Oh, not from you, even though you have been browbeaten into offering one for your "role" in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field.

I am demanding an apology from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, not to mention every other dunderheaded Cubs fan who wants to even hint that you were responsible for the Cubbies' Wrigley Field Waterloo.

"I hope he made it home, but I'm angry at the guy," said Blagojevich, who added, with a laugh, that he might be willing to get you into the witness protection program.

Classy stuff, and truly inspired leadership, from the state's highest elected official, wasn't it Steve? The governor did a real bang-up job of trying to calm the hysterical mob, which is hassling not only you, but your family and friends.

Then again, politicians rarely see the forest for the trees.

Look, Steve, nobody can blame Moises Alou for being annoyed, after he appeared to draw a bead on the pop fly that you, along with several others, tried to grab. I must say I have never understood why, in a key moment of a game, fans often suffer from amnesia and refuse to let the players make the plays (and the mistakes).

But may I list all the things the Cubs could have done to pick you up? Mark Prior could have stuck out his chin and struck out Luis Castillo instead of walking him and uncorking a wild pitch that allowed a base runner to reach third.

Prior could have retired Ivan Rodriguez, instead of yielding a single to left field. Alex Gonazelez could have fielded an easy ground ball to start a double play rather than boot it to load the bases. Prior could have retired Derek Lee, rather than give up a two-run double.

On Jeff Conine's sacrifice fly to right field, Sammy Sosa could have hit the cutoff man, rather than throwingtoward home, preventing the Cubs from getting a runner hung up between first and second.

Kyle Farnsworth could have stuck out his chin and blown away Mike Mordecai, rather than give up a bases-clearing double to a guy who drove in eight runs all season.

None of the eight runs scored by the Marlins in the inning crossed the plate during your adventure with the pop-up. Only one runner was even on base when your fingers touched the ball.

And if the Cubs didn't pick you up Tuesday, they could have done so in Game 7. Before the game, any of several Cubs could have said, "We got your back, kid. For years, Cubs fans have hung in there with us, through thick and remarkably thin, and if one guy got in the way a little bit, we're gonna pick him up, right here and now."

On Wednesday night, Kerry Wood could have held onto a 5-3 lead, instead of gift-wrapping scoring opportunities for the Marlins. Several Cubs hitters could have exhibited the tenaciousness and patience the Marlins did.

But all that is too complicated for many of the more moronic Cubs fans, who prefer to make it easy and clean and put it all on you.

Given the chance, I have no doubt some were perfectly capable of assaulting you. All over a pop fly. You even were compelled to issue an apology that began with: "There are few words to describe how awful I feel. . ."

From the tone of the apology, you'd have thought you had run over a toddler.

But the Chicago street mob, which never asked for this much contrition from Al Capone, demanded all of it and more from you.

Fans are amazing. In no time at all, they will forgive a hot-rodding athlete who kills a teammate or smacks around his wife. Some will even find that a player's "street cred" has been enhanced by being charged with sexual assault.

Yet, on a play in which the umpire rightly did not call fan interference, you might never be allowed to move on.

You'd think Cubs fans, of all groups, would know this curse is bigger than the act of any one fan, or pitcher, or hitter, or manager. What happened on Tuesday and Wednesday nights represents the very essence of Cubness. To say Wood choked, as the pitcher himself claimed, would suggest he had a choice in the matter. He did not.

Maybe you didn't either. But the governor, and thousands of other fools, will never understand that. So, here is what I say to you: Hang in there, kid. And if things get too rough, and the vultures keep trying to serve you up to the mob, you might have to roll up your sleeves, clench your fists and get dirty.

You might have to say: "If I made a spectacularly bad play at the worst possible moment, don't blame me. I was raised on Cubs baseball."

Dan Barreiro can be heard weekdays on AM-1130 KFAN and the FAN radio network from 4:30-7 p.m.

 

I really like Moises Alou's attitude about what happened. The kid wanted a ball. Who wouldn't?

 

i have to give a big thank you to steve. i have been searching and searching for the perfect halloween costume....and now i am a cubs hat, headphones, glasses, teal turtleneck, and blue sweatshirt away from the greatest halloween costume of all time. i'll even come out cheaper than i had expected too. THANK YOU MR. BARTMAN.

 

I dont think you will be the only one. I have heard alot of people talking about that costume.

 

Billy Goat

Fashion some goat ears, some white hair for the goatee and my cubs jersey, and voila! Billy the Goat!