CHICAGO — Steve Bartman still plays a prominent role in Chicago Cubs lore, a significant link — for the many die-hards who choose to believe — of a curse-ridden franchise.
If the Cubs beat the Indians in the World Series will all be forgiven?
Wrigley Field, left-field corner, is where Bartman was seated when he infamously deflected a foul ball perhaps destined to be caught by Cubs left fielder Moises Alou in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS against the Marlins. The Marlins rallied from a 3-0 deficit and scored eight runs in the inning. Bartman never lived that down as the Marlins also won Game 7 for a trip to the Series, where they beat the Yankees in six games.
Could Bartman resurface if the Cubs prevail? “I don’t think so,” Frank Murtha, Bartman’s spokesman, said on Monday. “Obviously Steven and I have talked about this many, many times. It’s never been publicly or privately conditioned on the Cubs winning the National League pennant, winning the World Series. If you ask me the trend or for the leaning based on Steve’s feeling, it would probably still remain the same.”
Bartman, a 39-year-old bachelor, reportedly works for a financial services consulting company in a suburb north of Chicago, the same firm he was at when he reached into history on Luis Castillo’s fly ball. He didn’t go to work the next day. He issued a brief statement to The Associated Press and has never spoken publicly again.
“First of all, he’s a nice guy,” said a neighbor who lived on the same block where Bartman resided with his family in Northbrook, Ill. “Whatever people want to think, it wasn’t like he was doing anything to hurt anybody. It was an innocent, unfortunate incident.”
Bartman’s parents still live in the same house, but Steve has moved away, said the neighbor, who on Monday asked not to be identified.
Murtha allowed that Bartman may have created more intrigue over the years for his refusal to discuss the incident. “I’ve certainly thought about that and contemplated that,” he said. “I don’t know precisely what the antidote is. I never thought that the interest in this and its level would remain as strong as it has for this many years.”
Murtha said Bartman has consistently turned down lucrative offers to make personal appearances. The Cubs also have invited him, but his safety is a significant concern. “There’s a certain number of people in our society who are wrapped real tight and they’re a couple of bricks short of a full load,” Murtha said. “Death threats and the like show up on social media, attempts to get through to him at his workplace.”
Murtha said he knows Bartman would feel relieved if the Cubs win. “I think it’s logical to assume that,” he said. “It eliminates one part of the sentence or paragraph or equation the Cubs haven’t won because of the curse of the goat, because of Leon Durham, because of the Mets, because Bartman reached for the ball. Even winning the pennant was a step in that direction.”
