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98-544: The incident occurred in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), with Chicago leading 3–0 in the eighth inning and holding a three-games-to-two lead in the best-of-seven series . Marlins batter Luis Castillo hit a fly ball into foul territory in left field . Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou attempted to make the catch near the wall, but Cubs fan Steve Bartman deflected it;

196-414: A ground ball toward Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez that could have ended the inning on a double play . Gonzalez, who led all NL shortstops in fielding percentage , closed his glove too early and the ball landed in the dirt, allowing Cabrera to reach safely, loading the bases. On the next pitch, Derrek Lee (a future Cubs All-Star) drilled a double into left field, scoring Castillo and Rodríguez to tie

294-684: A seventh game and a major upset in the World Series, the 2003 postseason was considered one of the most enthralling in MLB history. The Cubs were upset again by the Marlins during the 2020 Wild Card Series , losing the series in a two-game sweep. The Cubs implosion in Game 6 only added to the Curse of the Billy Goat lore. Steve Bartman was immediately labeled the reason for their implosion, as

392-551: A 3.20 ERA in 19 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. Despite his success down the stretch, Redman was left off the Rockies postseason roster, they eventually advanced to the franchise's first and only World Series , where they were swept by the Boston Red Sox . Over 11 games between Atlanta and Colorado, Redman had a cumulative record of 2–4 with a 7.62 ERA in 41 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings. On December 13, 2007, he re-signed with

490-468: A 4.71 ERA over 191 innings. On November 27, 2004, Redman was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Arthur Rhodes in exchange for former All-Star catcher Jason Kendall . Redman endured his worst statistical season, finishing 5–15 for the last place Pirates. He had a 4.90 ERA in 30 starts. Following that poor 2005 season, Redman was once again traded in the offseason, this time to

588-485: A career year, setting career highs in wins (14), ERA (3.59), and strikeouts (151). The Marlins would go on to win 2003 World Series over the New York Yankees , despite Redman struggling throughout the postseason. In his 4 postseason starts, Redman went 0–1 with 6.50 ERA in 18 innings, including his lone start in the World Series, where he only lasted 2 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings, giving up 5 hits and 4 runs, in

686-557: A championship since 1908, the Cubs had just taken two out of the three games in Miami, with the final two games at Wrigley Field in Chicago . The Cubs also had their best two pitchers, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood , slated to start the final two games. With the Cubs leading 3–0 and just five outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1945 , Steve Bartman , a fan, reached for

784-563: A division winner, had the home field advantage. The Marlins came back from a three games to one deficit and won the series in seven games, advancing to the World Series against the New York Yankees , whom they defeated in six games. Florida won the series, 4–3. Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago The Cubs struck first in Game 1 with a four-run first inning off of Josh Beckett . Kenny Lofton drew

882-490: A documentary about Bartman’s memorable gaffe in the 2003 NLCS. However, like he did for other media opportunities, Bartman had no involvement with the project. After the Cubs ended their 108-year drought and won the World Series in 2016 , Steve Bartman's name once again came into focus as he received a championship ring from Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and the Ricketts family as a special gift on July 31, 2017. In his statement to

980-474: A force out, but then allowed an RBI double to Bako. One out later, Lofton's RBI single made it 8−0 Cubs. In the fifth, Rick Helling allowed a leadoff double to Simon, then Gonzalez homered an out later to make it 10−0. Bako then walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, then to third on Lofton's single before scoring on Mark Grudzielanek 's double. Mark Prior pitched five shutout innings before allowing lead off home runs to Derrek Lee and Miguel Cabrera in

1078-445: A good kid, a wonderful son, never in any trouble. I don't think he should be blamed at all. People reach for balls. This just happened to be a little more critical. If Florida didn't score all the runs, you wouldn't be standing here." Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti wrote "A fan in that situation should try his best to get out of the way, even if he isn't of the mind to see Alou approaching, as Bartman claims. Still, he's also

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1176-571: A human being who was reacting in a tense, unusual moment. And the resulting verbal abuse and trash-hurling, followed by the Neanderthal threats and creepy reaction on the Internet, hasn't reflected well on Chicago's sports culture. As it is, everyone thinks the prototypical local fans are those mopes from the Superfans skits on Saturday Night Live ." In a 2011 interview on ESPN's Pardon

1274-465: A lead they would not relinquish. They added a run in the sixth on Luis Castillo 's single with two on off of Kyle Farnsworth and two more in the seventh on Alex Gonzalez 's double with two on off of Dave Veres to expand their lead to 9–5. Cubs pinch-hitter Troy O'Leary hit a home run in the seventh off of Josh Beckett , making the score 9–6. After the Cubs were retired in order in the eighth, Florida closer Ugueth Urbina hit Aramis Ramírez with

1372-478: A leadoff walk before scoring on Mark Grudzielanek 's triple. One out later, Moisés Alou 's home run made it 3−0. Aramis Ramírez then tripled before scoring on Alex Gonzalez 's two-out double. The Marlins battered starter Carlos Zambrano with five runs in the third. Juan Pierre tripled with one out, then Luis Castillo walked before Iván Rodríguez 's home run made it 4−3 Cubs. After Derrek Lee struck out, home runs by Miguel Cabrera and Juan Encarnación put

1470-773: A minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies on August 20. He was assigned to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers and made a start that same day. On August 25, he was promoted to their Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox . On September 7, Mark Redman was promoted to the Rockies and made an emergency replacement after Elmer Dessens went down in the 2nd inning with a hamstring injury. Redman made 5 appearances for Colorado in September, 3 of which were starts. He went 2–0 with

1568-399: A pitch to lead off the ninth inning, but proceeded to retire the following three batters, giving the Marlins their second National League pennant in their 11-year existence, while leaving the Cubs once again empty-handed. 2003 NLCS (4–3): Florida Marlins over Chicago Cubs The series is most remembered for events that unfolded in the top of the eighth inning of Game 6. Not having won

1666-497: A play." Trying to maintain a low profile, Bartman declined interviews, endorsement deals, and requests for public appearances, and his family changed their phone number to avoid harassing phone calls. He requested that any gifts sent to him by Florida Marlins fans be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation . In July 2008, Bartman was offered $ 25,000 to autograph a picture of himself at

1764-457: A run-scoring single to cut the Cubs' lead to 3–1, Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez mishandled a ground ball that could have resulted in an inning-ending double play . The Cubs ultimately allowed eight runs in the inning and lost the game 8–3. They also lost in Game 7 at Wrigley Field the following day and were eliminated by the Marlins. In the moments following the play, Cubs fans shouted insults and threw debris at Bartman. For his safety, security

1862-446: A single to left. Next inning, Paul Bako hit a leadoff single, moved to score on a groundout, and scored on Kenny Lofton 's single. One out later, Sammy Sosa homered to make it 5−0; his home run ball landed on top of a camera house in center field, some 495 feet (151 m) from home plate. Next inning, Aramis Ramírez hit a leadoff home run and after Simon doubled, Penny was relieved by Nate Bump , who got Alex Gonzalez to hit into

1960-410: A single. Alex Gonzalez, who's a sure thing almost at shortstop, the ball came up on him... and things just snowballed. Everybody in the clubhouse and management knows that play is not the reason we lost the game." Former Cubs pitcher Rick Sutcliffe said that the crowd's reactions to Bartman "crushed [him]". "Right after I saw what happened with the fan, I woke up the next morning and told my wife that if

2058-406: A statement, saying: Although I do not consider myself worthy of such an honor, I am deeply moved and sincerely grateful to receive an official Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Championship ring. I am fully aware of the historical significance and appreciate the symbolism the ring represents on multiple levels. My family and I will cherish it for generations. Most meaningful is the genuine outreach from

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2156-443: A strikeout, Willis was relieved by Chad Fox , who allowed an RBI single to Mark Grudzielanek . With thousands of fans on the street outside sold-out Wrigley Field, poised to celebrate, the Cubs held a 3–0 lead going into the top of the eighth inning of Game 6. After Mike Mordecai hit a high pop fly to left field , the team was a mere five outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1945. Mark Prior had retired

2254-412: A surging Houston Astros team in late September. Despite having a better record than the 2003 team, the 2004 Cubs were considered one of the most disappointing team’s in franchise history due to not being able to qualify for a postseason spot. 2003 Marlins' Juan Pierre and Derrek Lee would eventually become Cubs after being traded in two separate trades before the start of the 2005 season . Pierre

2352-607: Is an American former professional baseball left-handed starting pitcher . A 1992 graduate of Escondido High School in California , he played baseball and football before attending The Master's College in Santa Clarita, California for one year and then transferring to the University of Oklahoma . In his sophomore year at Oklahoma, Redman set school records for strikeouts (136) and innings pitched (135.1) during

2450-510: Is now currently Section 3, Row 12, Seat 1. In April 2008, Moisés Alou was quoted by the Associated Press as saying "You know what the funny thing is? I wouldn't have caught it, anyway." Alou later disputed that story, however: "I don't remember that," he said to a writer from The Palm Beach Post . "If I said that, I was probably joking to make [Bartman] feel better. But I don't remember saying that." Alou added "It's time to forgive

2548-466: Is that we all can learn from my experience to view sports as entertainment and prevent harsh scapegoating, and to challenge the media and opportunistic profiteers to conduct business ethically by respecting personal privacy rights and not exploit any individual to advance their own self-interest or economic gain. Moreover, I am hopeful this ring gesture will be the start of an important healing and reconciliation process for all involved. To that end, I request

2646-569: The 1945 World Series after Billy Sianis and his pet goat were ejected from Wrigley Field . The Cubs lost that series to the Detroit Tigers in seven games and did not return to the World Series until 2016. Bartman was also compared to the black cat that ran across Shea Stadium near an on-deck Ron Santo during a September 9, 1969, regular season game between the Cubs and the New York Mets . The Cubs were in first place at

2744-639: The Detroit Tigers in exchange for All-Star pitcher Todd Jones . He only made 2 starts for Detroit following the trade due to a triceps injury. The next year in 2002, his lone full season with the Tigers, he made 30 starts for the first time and finished with an 8–15 record with a 4.21 ERA in 203 innings. In the offseason, Redman was traded to the Florida Marlins along with prospect Jerrod Feull in exchange for top 10 prospect Rob Henkel as well as Gary Knotts and Nate Robertson . In 2003, Redman had

2842-588: The Kansas City Royals . Redman was chosen to play for the American League in the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game as the Royals' lone representative. His selection was considered to be "one of the worst All-Star selections ever", with Hall of Famer Joe Morgan using Redman's selection as a reason why every team should not be guaranteed an All-Star. He was 6–4 with an ERA of 5.27 at

2940-615: The National Sports Collectors Convention in Rosemont , but he refused the offer. He declined to appear as a VIP at Wrigley Field. In 2011, eight years after the incident, he declined to appear in an ESPN documentary, and he declined a six-figure offer to appear in a Super Bowl commercial. Many fans associated the Bartman incident with the Curse of the Billy Goat , allegedly laid on the Cubs during

3038-528: The Seattle Mariners . Following his debut, he would be sent back down to the minors, before returning to the majors in mid-September, making 4 appearances out of the bullpen, where he gave up 10 runs in 8 innings pitched. In 2000, Redman was named to the opening day roster, and began the season coming out of the bullpen again, before moving into the starting rotation in May, going on to make 24 starts for

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3136-464: The 11th to secure the 5–4 victory. Down 2 games to 1, the defeat was a blow to the Marlins, who squandered several chances with runners in scoring position. Saturday, October 11, 2003 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida Aramis Ramírez hit a first inning grand-slam, the first in Cubs postseason history, after Dontrelle Willis allowed three walks. They added to their lead in

3234-571: The All-Star break. He would finish the season with a team-high 11 wins and a 5.71 ERA in 167 innings. On March 9, 2007 , he signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves . On March 26, 2007, the Braves purchased Redman's contract from Triple-A Richmond . Redman struggled mightily to open the season, pitching in 3 of the Braves' first 5 losses of the season. Through the first month of

3332-660: The Cubs as "champs". On Fox, coming off a commercial break after the Marlins had tied the game as Lowell was being intentionally walked, Thom Brennaman said of the incident, as well as the Marlins' subsequent rally: "It's safe to say that every Cubs fan has to be wondering right now, is the Curse of the Billy Goat alive and well?" The loose ball was snatched up by a Chicago lawyer and sold at an auction in December 2003. Grant DePorter purchased it for $ 113,824.16 on behalf of Harry Caray 's Restaurant Group. On February 26, 2004, it

3430-463: The Cubs asked me to throw out the first pitch in the World Series, I was going to take that fan out to the mound with me," he said. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig also came to Bartman's defense, telling an interviewer "[W]hile I understand that people felt so strongly and that their hearts were just breaking, to blame this young man, who is the most devoted Cub fan... it's just unfair. When I read his statement, it broke my heart. ... If you want to blame

3528-558: The Cubs family and positively moving forward with my life. 2003 National League Championship Series The 2003 National League Championship Series ( NLCS ) was a Major League Baseball playoff series played from October 7 to 15 to determine the champion of the National League , between the Central Division champion Chicago Cubs and the wild-card qualifying Florida Marlins . The Cubs, by virtue of being

3626-404: The Cubs struck first when Kenny Lofton singled to lead off the first off of Carl Pavano and scored on Sammy Sosa 's one-out double. In the sixth, after two singles and a double play put Sosa at third off of Pavano, reliever Dontrelle Willis 's ball four wild pitch to Eric Karros allowed Sosa to score. Next inning, Paul Bako hit a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After

3724-583: The Curse of the Bambino and the goat in Chicago or a series of other things, that's fine. But blaming Steve Bartman is just not right." Several of Bartman's friends and family members spoke out in the days following the incident. His father told the Chicago Sun-Times "He's a huge Cubs fan. I'm sure I taught him well. I taught him to catch foul balls when they come near him." A neighbor added "He's

3822-556: The Interruption , Cubs President Theo Epstein expressed a desire for the team to reach out to Bartman. "From afar, it seems like it would be an important step. Maybe a cathartic moment that would allow people to move forward together. I'm all about having an open mind, an open heart and forgiveness. Those are good characteristics for an organization to have as well. He's a Cubs fan. That's the most important thing," said Epstein. In 2012, former Cubs player Doug Glanville said "[I]t

3920-517: The Maddux-led Braves' rotations in the 1990s. However, Prior and Wood both took steps backwards, as they would continue to be hampered by injury. In the division, the St. Louis Cardinals raced off to the division lead and eventual NL Central title, finishing with an MLB's best 105 wins. The Cubs faltered down the stretch and were eventually overtaken in the division and the wild card standings by

4018-415: The Marlins scoring their first run, many Cubs fans began pointing at Bartman, repeatedly chanting "asshole". Bartman had to be led away from the park under security escort for his own safety, as many Cubs fans shouted insults and threats at him (some of which were death threats), while others threw things, with one fan dumping a cup of beer on him. Security escorted Bartman and two people who accompanied him to

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4116-402: The Marlins up 5−4. They made it 6−4 in the sixth on Jeff Conine 's sacrifice fly with runners on second and third, but the Cubs tied it in the bottom of the inning on Gonzalez's home run after Randall Simon doubled with two outs. The Marlins loaded the bases in the ninth off of Joe Borowski on a double, walk and Grudzielanek's error before Rodriguez's single scored two, but the Cubs tied it in

4214-641: The NL pennant in 2002 with the San Francisco Giants, fell short in his bid to become the first manager ever to take two different teams to the World Series in consecutive years. He did not return to the LCS until 2020 or the World Series until 2021 . He finally won a championship as a manager in 2022 for the Houston Astros. Because of the two dramatic League Championship Series that both went to

4312-540: The Ricketts family as a special gift on July 31, 2017. The Cubs said in a statement "We hope this provides closure on an unfortunate chapter of the story that has perpetuated throughout our quest to win a long-awaited World Series. While no gesture can fully lift the public burden he has endured for more than a decade, we felt it was important Steve knows he has been and continues to be fully embraced by this organization. After all he has sacrificed, we are proud to recognize Steve Bartman with this gift today." Bartman released

4410-473: The Ricketts family, on behalf of the Cubs organization and fans, signifying to me that I am welcomed back into the Cubs family and have their support going forward. I am relieved and hopeful that the saga of the 2003 foul ball incident surrounding my family and me is finally over. I humbly receive the ring not only as a symbol of one of the most historic achievements in sports, but as an important reminder for how we should treat each other in today’s society. My hope

4508-513: The Rockies on a 1-year, $ 1 million contract. On April 26, 2008 at Dodger Stadium , Redman became the first MLB starter since 1900 to give up 10 or more runs in the first inning and still complete the inning, allowing 10 earned runs and managing to follow it with 5 scoreless innings before finishing for the day. On July 18, 2008 , Redman was designated for assignment. He was subsequently sent down to Triple-A Colorado Springs on July 22, 2008. In his final major league season, Redman went 2–5 with

4606-565: The Twins, finishing with a 12–9 record with a 4.76 ERA over 151 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings. He would finish in a 4-way tie for 6th place in AL Rookie of the Year voting, receiving a single vote. The following season he made 9 starts for Minnesota, going 2–4 with a 4.22 ERA over 49 innings before being traded to the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline . On July 28, 2001, Redman was traded to

4704-420: The accomplishments of the players and the organization." MLB.com and ESPN have both reported that Cubs owner Tom Ricketts had expressed interest in contacting Bartman for closure "at the right time". Later on, Cubs president Theo Epstein stated that Bartman is "welcome to come back" but at his own discretion and that he should be left alone. Bartman received a championship ring from Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and

4802-438: The ball hit by his former teammate, Cubs fan Steve Bartman , along with others near the area, did the same. The ball bounced off Bartman's hands and into the stands. Though the Cubs pleaded for a call of fan interference , left field umpire Mike Everitt ruled that the ball had left the field of play and was therefore up for grabs. Alou, who was visibly angry at Bartman's catch, initially acknowledged that he would not have made

4900-407: The bases. The Marlins now having batted around the order, Mordecai, making up for his earlier out, hit a bases-clearing double to left-center field, scoring Lee, Lowell, and Hollandsworth and making it a 7–3 Marlins lead. Farnsworth was taken out of the game and replaced by Mike Remlinger , who gave up a single to Pierre to score Mordecai from second base. Castillo popped to shallow right field for

4998-541: The bottom of the inning on Sammy Sosa 's two-run home run off of Ugueth Urbina , forcing extra innings. Mike Lowell 's leadoff home run in the 11th put the Marlins up 9−8 and Braden Looper retired the Cubs in order in the bottom half to give Florida a 1−0 series lead. Wednesday, October 8, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago In Game 2, the Cubs loaded the bases in the first on a hit and two walks off of Brad Penny when Randall Simon brought home two with

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5096-530: The bullpen in 2008, where he would find some success as the Cubs closer and later Yankees set-up reliever to Mariano Rivera . Wood retired in 2012 at the age of 35. Prior would eventually find his calling as a pitching coach for the Dodgers since 2018, serving as a bullpen coach his first season and full staff pitching coach since 2019. As a coach, Prior would win a World Series in 2020 and 2024 . Mark Redman Mark Allen Redman (born January 5, 1974)

5194-508: The catch, but he later denied making such a statement and said if he had, it was only to make Bartman feel better. As a result, Castillo remained an active batter at home plate. On the next pitch, Prior walked Castillo with a wild pitch that got away from catcher Paul Bako , also allowing Pierre to advance to third base. At this point, the Marlins' bats began to come alive. Next, Iván Rodríguez hit an 0–2 pitch hard into left field, singling and scoring Pierre. Miguel Cabrera then hit

5292-528: The disastrous 8th inning that many Cubs fans call bad omens of The Curse of the Billy Goat , which most notably include Bernie Mac (a lifelong fan of the crosstown White Sox ) altering " Take Me Out to the Ball Game " from "root for the Cubbies" to "root for the champs." The Marlins went on to win Game 7 and then to defeat the New York Yankees in the World Series . Chicago manager Dusty Baker , who won

5390-407: The eighth inning . The Cubs led the game 3–0 and the best-of-seven series three games to two. They were five outs away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 1945 ; the Cubs had not been baseball's champions since 1908 . Luis Castillo was at bat for the Marlins with one out and a full count , with teammate Juan Pierre on second base. Cubs fan Steve Bartman was sitting in

5488-551: The eventual 6–1 loss in Game 2. After the 2003 World Series, the Marlins traded Redman to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Mike Neu and a player to be named later ( Bill Murphy was eventually added to the deal, 7 days later). Following the trade, Redman became a free agent, and re-signed with the Athletics on a 3-year deal worth $ 12 million. He finished his lone season with the team with an 11–12 record and

5586-445: The fifth, Wood rolled through the middle innings. Redman, too, held strong until he was pinch-hit for in the seventh. In the bottom of the 7th, the Marlins finally broke through. Gonzalez led off with a single, followed by a Mike Lowell walk. They were both sacrificed to second and third, and then Gonzalez scored the tying run on an RBI groundout by Luis Castillo . With two outs and Lowell at third, Iván Rodríguez singled through

5684-481: The fifth. Alex Gonzalez's ground out and Todd Hollandsworth 's single scored a run each. Ramírez hit his second home run of the game off of Nate Bump in the seventh. The Marlins scored their last run in the eighth when Lenny Harris drew a leadoff walk and scored on Iván Rodríguez 's double off of Kyle Farnsworth . The Cubs cruised to an 8–3 victory, putting them just one victory away from their first World Series in nearly 60 years. This 2003 victory turned out to be

5782-422: The final out of an 8-run inning. The comeback victory by the Marlins forced a Game 7. Wednesday, October 15, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago In Game 7, Juan Pierre tripled to lead off the first, then Iván Rodríguez walked with one out before Miguel Cabrera 's home run made it 3–0 Marlins against Cubs ace Kerry Wood , who had not lost at Wrigley Field in nearly six weeks. The Cubs responded by tying

5880-419: The first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox , where he pitched 1 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings, and gave up 4 hits and 4 runs, raising his ERA to 11.63. 3 days later, the Braves released him on May 22. After being released by the Braves, he signed on to minor league deals with Texas and Toronto, who ultimately both released him. He would later join his fourth organization in 2007 when he signed

5978-529: The first inning, as they had done in the previous two games. Sammy Sosa drove in Kenny Lofton with a single. The Cubs plated another run in the second, when a single and a pair of walks were followed by a sacrifice fly by Wood. The Marlins got a run back in their half of the second when Alex Gonzalez doubled in Miguel Cabrera with two outs. Other than the Marlins leaving the bases loaded in

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6076-413: The first time since 1908. Through Murtha, Bartman congratulated the Cubs in their World Series championship. Murtha said "[Bartman] was just overjoyed that the Cubs won, as all the Cubs fans are." Further, when calls were made for Bartman to be a part of the victory parade, or other similar ideas "The one thing that Steve and I did talk about was if the Cubs were to win, he did not want to be a distraction to

6174-423: The foul ball hit by Luis Castillo off Prior, preventing Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou from catching it. Castillo proceeded to walk and Prior and the Cubs never recovered from the incident. Aided by Castillo's walk and later an error by Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez on a potential double-play grounder, the Marlins went on to score eight runs in the inning and won the game 8–3. There were some odd events leading up to

6272-459: The foul ball. The somber image of Bartman wearing a Cubs baseball cap, glasses, headset, and green turtleneck shirt became memorable. Because there were no video replay screens at Wrigley Field at the time, Bartman was not widely recognized until many of the attendees' friends and family members, who were watching the game on television, started calling them on cell phones, informing them of Bartman and his appearance. After Rodriguez’s at bat ended with

6370-580: The front row along the left field corner wall behind the on-field bullpen when a pop foul off the bat of Castillo drifted toward his seat. Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou approached the wall, jumped, and reached for the ball. Bartman was one of several fans who attempted to catch the ball. As Bartman attempted to catch the ball, his hand slapped the ball, deflecting it away from Alou's glove. Alou slammed his glove down in frustration and shouted at several fans. The Cubs, in particular Alou and Prior, argued for fan interference , but umpire Mike Everitt ruled there

6468-498: The game ended. As many as six police cars gathered outside his home to protect Bartman and his family following the incident. Afterwards, then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich suggested that Bartman join a witness protection program, while then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush offered Bartman asylum. In the years after the incident, Bartman would live in virtual anonymity. He declined interviews, sponsorships, and request for public appearances. In 2011, ESPN Films released “Catching Hell”,

6566-485: The game towards the exit tunnel from the field. News footage of the game showed him surrounded by security as fans pelted him with drinks and other debris. Bartman's name, as well as personal information about him, appeared on Major League Baseball's online message boards minutes after the game ended. As many as six police cars gathered outside his home in Northbrook, Illinois to protect Bartman and his family following

6664-404: The guy and move on." In the 2011 documentary Catching Hell , Alou states "I'm convinced 100% that I had that ball in my glove." After the incident, the Cubs issued the following press release: The Chicago Cubs would like to thank our fans for their tremendous outpouring of support this year. We are very grateful. We would also like to remind everyone that games are decided by what happens on

6762-414: The incident, the Marlins scored eight runs: The next night, back at Wrigley Field, Florida overcame Kerry Wood and a 5–3 deficit to win 9–6, and win the pennant. The Marlins would then go on to win the World Series , defeating the heavily favored New York Yankees in six games. Bartman remained seated as Fox repeatedly alternated between broadcasting live shots of him with multiple instant replays of

6860-441: The incident. Afterwards, then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich suggested that Bartman join a witness protection program, while then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush offered Bartman asylum. After the incident, Bartman released a statement, saying he was "truly sorry". He added "I had my eyes glued on the approaching ball the entire time and was so caught up in the moment that I did not even see Moisés Alou, much less that he may have had

6958-458: The infield to score Cabrera. Florida, however, stranded the bases loaded in the ninth and the game went into extra innings. In the top of the 11th, Lofton singled with one out. Then the sparingly used Doug Glanville turned out to be the hero when he smoked a triple into the left-center field gap to drive in Lofton with the go-ahead run. Mike Remlinger retired the Marlins in the bottom half of

7056-438: The last eight hitters and had allowed only three hits up to that point. Center fielder Juan Pierre then hit a double off Prior. On the eighth pitch of his at bat , Luis Castillo hit a high foul ball toward the left field wall. Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou (a former Marlin who had won a world championship with the club in 1997 ) headed toward the stands to catch the ball for the potential second out. As Alou reached for

7154-605: The last playoff game won by the Cubs for 12 years, a span of 9 consecutive losses until finally winning the National League Wild Card Game in 2015, as well as their last win in the NLCS until 2016 . Sunday, October 12, 2003 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida With the Marlins facing elimination, Josh Beckett kept them alive by dominating the Cubs, holding them to just two hits and one walk as part of his standout 2003 postseason. The game

7252-497: The media please respect my privacy, and the privacy of my family. I will not participate in interviews or further public statements at this time. Words alone cannot express my heartfelt thanks to the Ricketts family, Crane Kenney, Theo Epstein, and the entire Cubs organization for this extraordinary gift, and for providing the City of Chicago and Cubs fans everywhere an unforgettable World Championship in 2016. I am happy to be reunited with

7350-470: The pennant, many Cubs fans petitioned for the team to allow Bartman to throw out a first pitch during the 2016 World Series. Nonetheless, Bartman's spokesman Frank Murtha told CNN that Bartman did not want to be in the spotlight, and that there is "probably a slim, none, and no chance" that Bartman would agree to throw out a first pitch. On November 2, 2016, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for

7448-669: The playing field – not in the stands. It is inaccurate and unfair to suggest that an individual fan is responsible for the events that transpired in Game 6. He did what every fan who comes to the ballpark tries to do – catch a foul ball in the stands. That's one of the things that makes baseball the special sport that it is. This was an exciting season and we're looking forward to working towards an extended run of October baseball at Wrigley Field. Several Cubs players publicly absolved Bartman of blame. Mark Prior said "We had chances to get out of that situation. I hung an 0–2 curveball to [Ivan] Rodriguez that he hit for

7546-467: The playoffs. On Saturday, October 22, 2016, the Cubs were again at home with a 3–2 lead in Game 6 of the NLCS , similar to the 2003 NLCS game. The Cubs ended up winning the National League Championship Series and ending the Curse of the Billy Goat. In a surprising turn of events, a foul ball in the final inning fell near the area Bartman had sat in, prompting shouts of "Don't touch it" from the crowd, though this foul ball fell well out of play. After winning

7644-635: The press, Bartman was relieved and hopeful that the saga of the 2003 foul ball incident surrounding himself and his family would finally be over. Even in a competitive division such that of the National League Central , the Cubs figured to be back in the hunt for another shot at the pennant in 2004. The team brought back future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux (he previously pitched for Chicago from 1986–1992). Many thought his addition, to go along with young starting pitchers Mark Prior , Kerry Wood , and Carlos Zambrano , would help resemble

7742-551: The regular season and posted a 5-0 record in post-season play as he helped the Sooners win the 1994 College World Series title. Redman named 1st Team All- Big Eight , Big Eight Newcomer of the Year, NCAA All-Regional team and was a member of the College World Series All-Tournament team in 1994. In addition, he was selected as a 1st Team All-American in both of his seasons at Oklahoma. Redman

7840-430: The restaurant itself. In the years following the incident, the seat Bartman sat in – Aisle 4, Row 8, Seat 113 – became a tourist attraction at Wrigley Field. When the lower grandstands were reconfigured before the 2017 season, that seat number was changed. It was changed to Section 2, Row 8, Seat 108. Before the 2019 season, more reconfiguration was done to the seats with the seat Bartman sat in once again being changed. It

7938-402: The right side to give Florida the lead and knocked Wood from the game, but the next inning, Randall Simon followed up a Tom Goodwin triple with a home run into the right-field stands off reliever Chad Fox . The Cubs had retaken the lead 4–3. The Marlins tied the game at 4–4 in the bottom of the eighth against Kyle Farnsworth when Todd Hollandsworth grounded a hit through the left side of

8036-464: The score 3–3 in the second inning off of Mark Redman , which featured a two-run home run by Wood after Damian Miller hit into an RBI groundout with runners on second and third. Moisés Alou 's two-run homer after a hit-by-pitch the following inning put Chicago up 5–3, but the lead would not last. In the fifth, Florida capitalized on a pair of walks and scored three runs on Rodriguez's double, Cabrera's groundout and Derrek Lee 's single to go on top 6–5,

8134-472: The score at 3–3. Prior was taken out of the game and replaced by Kyle Farnsworth , who intentionally walked Mike Lowell to load the bases again. Jeff Conine then hit a sacrifice fly to right field for the second out of the inning, allowing Cabrera to score from third and the other runners to each advance one base. This gave the Marlins their first lead of the night. Farnsworth intentionally walked Todd Hollandsworth (another future Cub) to yet again load

8232-464: The season, Redman was 0–3 with a 10.13 ERA in only 18 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. In his next start on May 1, Redman only lasted 1 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings, giving up 5 hits and 4 runs, picking up another loss, moving him to 0–4 on the year, and increasing his season ERA to 10.62. The following day, it was reported that he would be undergoing surgery for an ingrown toenail . He would make one final appearance for Atlanta on May 19, coming on in relief in

8330-513: The sixth. Gonzalez hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the inning. The Marlins scored one run in the eighth on a bases-loaded double play from Juan Encarnación off of Dave Veres as the Cubs' 12−3 blowout win tied the series heading to Florida. Friday, October 10, 2003 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida Another back-and-forth affair, similar to Game 1, pitted Florida's Mark Redman against Chicago's ace Kerry Wood at Pro Player Stadium. The Cubs jumped on top in

8428-433: The team had a complete meltdown after Bartman reached out to catch a flyball in foul territory, disrupting Moises Alou's potential catch. In the moments following the play, Cubs' fans shouted insults and threw debris at Bartman. For his safety, security was forced to escort him from the ballpark. Bartman's name, as well as personal information about him, appeared on Major League Baseball's online message boards minutes after

8526-409: The third when Ramírez hit a single to right with two on. After a walk loaded the bases, Willis was relieved by Rick Helling , who allowed an RBI single to Alex Gonzalez . Next inning, Kenny Lofton drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Moisés Alou 's two-out single. Matt Clement pitched four shutout innings before allowing singles to Miguel Cabrera and Jeff Conine in

8624-527: The time, but after the cat appeared, the Cubs lost the game and eventually fell eight games behind the Mets in the standings, missing that season's playoffs. Fans further believed that they had been jinxed when, an inning before the incident, comedian Bernie Mac (a lifelong fan of the cross-town rival White Sox ), singing " Take Me Out to the Ballgame " during the seventh-inning stretch , prematurely referred to

8722-456: The umpire judged the play not to be fan interference . If Alou had caught the ball, it would have been the second out in the inning, and the Cubs would have been just four outs away from winning their first National League pennant since 1945 . However, following the ruling of no interference, the Cubs' defense collapsed. On the very next pitch, Mark Prior threw a wild pitch to walk Castillo and allow Juan Pierre to reach third base. After

8820-401: The years. For example, the authors of Mad Ball: The Bartman Play argue that photographs show Bartman's arms extending into the playing field and that Castillo should have been called out due to fan interference. On Fox , commentator Thom Brennaman said "Again in the air, down the left field line. Alou... reaching into the stands... and couldn't get it and he's livid with a fan!" Following

8918-424: Was easy to look at Steve Bartman [...] But that was not the whole story by a long shot." He argued that the Cubs lost the momentum of the series when Marlins ace Josh Beckett shut down the Cubs in Game 5. Glanville drew parallels between that game and Barry Zito 's game-winning performance in Game 5 of the 2012 NLCS . During the 2016 season , Bartman received renewed media attention as the Cubs progressed through

9016-433: Was forced to escort him from the ballpark. Minutes after the game, his name and personal information were published online, necessitating police protection at his home. He faced further harassment from fans and the media after the Cubs' loss in the series. Bartman apologized for the incident and stated his desire to move past it and return to a quiet life. Many Cubs players came to his defense, emphasizing that their performance

9114-688: Was just in Chicago for a year, but Derrek Lee became a mainstay and a fan favorite there. Lee put up MVP-type numbers in 2005, finishing third that year in the award, while leading the National League batting average and slugging. He also won the gold glove and silver slugger awards at first base, being the only Cubs first baseman to accomplish this feat until Anthony Rizzo did it in 2016 . Kerry Wood and Mark Prior never truly regained their form from 2003. After years of battling arm injuries, Prior would pitch his last game in MLB in 2006. Wood suffered similar arm issues and would have to move to

9212-491: Was no interference because the ball had broken the plane of the wall separating the field of play from the stands and entered the stands. Cubs manager Dusty Baker did not see the play as it happened, because the curvature of the Cubs dugout blocked his view. In the Marlins' dugout after the Bartman play, pitcher Mark Redman , who was scheduled to start Game 7 if the Marlins won, told his teammates "Let's make that guy famous." Everitt's ruling has been heavily scrutinized over

9310-494: Was publicly detonated by special effects expert Michael Lantieri . In 2005, the remains of the ball were used by the restaurant in a pasta sauce. While no part of the ball itself was in the sauce, the ball was boiled and the steam captured, distilled, and added to the final concoction. Today, the remains of the ball are on display at the Chicago Sports Museum , while further remains are amid various artifacts at

9408-461: Was scoreless until the fifth inning when Mike Lowell hit a two-run homer off of Carlos Zambrano . Iván Rodríguez and Jeff Conine homered in the seventh and eighth innings off of Dave Veres and Mike Remlinger , respectively. Even with the loss, the Cubs looked strong going back home with their two aces, Mark Prior for Game 6 and Kerry Wood , if necessary, to start Game 7. Tuesday, October 14, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago In Game 6,

9506-502: Was selected by Detroit Tigers in 41st Round (1,148th overall) of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft , but did not sign with the team. He would get drafted again in 1995 by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st Round (13th overall). He would make his Major League debut with the Minnesota Twins on July 24, 1999 , pitching 4 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings, giving up 3 runs, and totaling 3 strikeouts and 3 walks, in 10–3 victory over

9604-538: Was to blame for their loss. To recompense Bartman for his treatment, the Cubs sent him a championship ring after the team's victory in the 2016 World Series 13 years later. The incident occurred on October 14, 2003, at Wrigley Field , during Game 6 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), which matched the Chicago Cubs against the Florida Marlins . At the time of the incident, Cubs pitcher Mark Prior had allowed only three hits and no runs entering

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