Don’t know if you happened to see this but on Monday the Cubs presented Steve Bartman with a World Series ring.
Bartman was that creepy looking guy with glasses and headphones who may have cost the Cubs a World Series berth in 2003 when he prevented Cubs leftfielder Moises Alou from catching an important foul ball.
What’s next? The Red Sox honoring Bill Buckner? The United States putting out a stamp of Kim Jong-un? The Cubs holding a Don Young Night? (Hint, you have to be an old-time Cubs fan like me to remember the infamous Young and how he derailed the team’s 1969 pennant chances.)
Bartman deserved to be booed. It was just stupid what he did – preventing his own outfielder from making an important play.
Booing should have sufficed. Bartman should not have been threatened and treated like he was.
But he certainly should not be rewarded for his mindless action. He’s not a hero. He’s a geek who got caught up in an important moment and became part of Cubs lore. If he were a real Cubs fan he would have made it easier for Alou to catch the ball by getting the hell out of the way.
If the Cubs want to be so charitable give rings to the families of the late Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. Real heroes. Not Bartman.
