Cursed Cubs fan

J's World, by Jeremiah Bartz

The infamous curse of the Chicago Cubs. It is what separates America's most beloved baseball team with baseball's most treasured prize -- a world series title.

Nationwide, long- suffering Cubs fans have watched their team falter. Normally this happens in July, but this season the dramatic fall came in October.

And now at least one of those Cubs fans lives in infamy. His story and role in game six of the National League Championship Series may go down in history as one of the lowpoints in Cubbie tragedy.

Late in game six, with the Cubs holding a 3-0 lead, Steve Bartman, a Cubs fan seated along the left field wall, had a golden opportunity to grab a souvenir and memorable moment. Bartman got the souvenir, but his memorable moment has turned into a nightmare.

A Florida foul ball was hit toward the stands along the left field wall where Bartman was seated. With his eyes glued on the ball, Bartman and a group of fans in his section reached for the souvenir not knowing that Cubs outfielder Moises Alou was in line to make the catch.

Bartman and his fellow fans obstructed Alou from making the catch. Though it was a foul ball, Alou went nuts. Everyone watching, except for the handful of fans that went for the ball, knew that Alou was almost assured of the catch. Alou lost the ball, lost his cool and the Cubs lost their nerve.

An error by Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez followed and Chicago surrendered eight runs in the inning and blew an excellent opportunity to advance to its first World Series since 1945.

Bartman did not boot the ball at short, nor did he give up the two-run double or three-run triple to lose the lead, but simply going for the souvenir is all that is remembered from the game.

It is not like he sunk the Titanic.

In the last few days, one might think that Bartman booted the ball at short, gave up the run-scoring hits, or poisoned the drinking water of Chicago for that matter. The 26-year-old Chicago native and lifelong fan has been sent into hiding.

He has been chastised by the media and his house has been surrounded by angry mobs of fans. Even the governor of Illinois has chimed in with his own uncivilized remarks.

The poor guy is ridiculed by everyone.

As I have said in columns before, I am a die-hard Cubs fan, supporting my team throughout all of their slumps and the latest debacle. As a Cubs fan, I was furious about the play and the Cubs' fall in the game. But like any other baseball fan sitting in Bartman's seat, I would have probably gone for that ball. And there is no other fan that can say different.

As enraged as Alou was on the field, he even said after the game that Bartman was just trying to go for a souvenir, just like any other fan would.

Right now I am almost embarrassed to be a Cubs fan. It is one thing to think that Bartman screwed up. On one hand he did. But the constant harassment?

And doesn't the governor of Illinois have better things to comment on?

After the incident, Wrigley Field security personnel were immediately down in Bartman's section. They were not there to kick the kid out, but keep the fan from getting walloped by those sitting in the same area. As he was escorted out, Bartman was spit on, drenched with beer and pelted with peanuts and pop corn.

It seems there is always a person or a group of people that do something ridiculous and make all fans look stupid.

The harassment of Bartman is ridiculous. Beating up your kid's hockey coach because the kid is not getting any ice time is ridiculous. Parents screaming at the top of their lungs at the referees during a high school football game is ridiculous. Heckling the sportswriter at a high school football game because your kid's name didn't get in the newspaper is ridiculous.

I would like to know what people are thinking while they pull these stunts. Are they just mentally unstable or did a few cocktails cloud the thought process?

If fans want someone to blame, blame Gonzalez for committing the error. Blame Kyle Farnsworth for surrendering three runs in less than an inning. They are paid to play the game and paid to stay in the spotlight.

Don't blame a 26-year-old fan, who just wanted the same thing every other fan going to Wrigley Field wants -- a souvenir and a good memory.