Like any good Cubs fan, I remember exactly where I was when Game 6 happened. I spent most of the 2nd half of the game arguing on the phone with Sam. I don't remember about what about (probably communication issues. Rest assured, we have all that worked out now!) But at the same time I was watching the game closely (in my defense, I'm pretty sure she was too.) After the collapse, me and my roommates went to the back porch of our apartment, which overlooked tennis courts across the alley, and threw beer bottles (root beer bottles for me) across the alley to watch them explode on the tennis courts below. I remember being pissed a little at Bartman, but more so at Alex Gonzalez the next day, and Dave Veres and Mark Guthrie (both of whom, I was shocked to find out in the research for this, weren't terrible all season long. I remember them both being awful in the postseason at least.) (Also, neither of them pitched in Game 6. It was Kyle Farnsworth and Mike Remlinger, both of whom only gave up 1 hit. But there were a few intentional walks in there, too. Guthrie didn't even pitch in Game 7.)
But I do remember having discussions later where I blasted Bartman, and the fans in the area for not getting out of the way. If Alou had any chance at all, isn't that more important than catching a pop foul? I like to think I would have had the presence of mind to get out of the way, but there's no way to ever know.
I think the reason Bartman became the scapegoat to the extent that he did is because he was a fan. I couldn't have came in and pitched lights out relief for Mark Prior in the 8th inning. I couldn't even have turned the double play Alex Gonzalez botched. But if I was in the stands, I could have gotten out of the way of a foul ball. Apart from a Jeffrey Maier type moment, that's basically all a baseball fan can do at a game.
The Catching Hell filmmaker, Alex Gibney, spends the majority of his 2 hour documentary trying to deflect blame from Bartman, but I thought the most interesting part of the documentary was when Gibney uses video editing techniques to remove everyone else from the play, and it's probably the strongest evidence I've ever seen that suggests Alou would have made the play. And maybe if there are 2 outs, Gonzalez has an easier time with Miguel Cabrera's ground ball.
If I was doing a blame game for Game 6, and I'm being totally honest...yeah, I'd give Bartman a few percentage points. Not more than Gonzalez, or Prior, or Dusty Baker, or even Sammy Sosa and Aramis Ramirez (a combined 0-6). And I think Bartman has received thousands of times as much crap as he deserved for his part in the loss. Obviously the fans around him were out of control, not to mention the media afterwards.
But I still wish I could see what would have happened had Moises had a chance to catch that ball.
(also, a giant fuck you to Bartman's so called "friends" who blatantly ditched him after the play. I can't say definitively I wouldn't have reached for a foul ball, but I can say I would never do that.)
I will only assign so much blame to Bartman and can't say I was even angry while watching the game that evening. The Cubs blew game 6 and game 7...not Bartman.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with your final line though. I never heard that Bartman bought three tix for the game. The man seemed so alone in that moment. To hear his "friends" didn't then answer their phone as he sat in the security office is just as despicable. I hope he didn't give those puds a wedding gift.