Everyone was laughing, dancing, singing, and experiencing merriment.... except for one.
One man was in hiding, living a life of fear, solitude, and abject hate cast-upon him like a headstone of shame. A headstone of suffering followed this man wherever he went. Shackled by Shame, this man lived a Life of Pain.
And this man's name was Steve Bartman....
A lifetime Cubs fan, who had a ball hit to him in the 2003 NLCS .... and like any fan would do he put his arms up to catch the foul ball .... yet in the heat of the exciting moment of having a piece of history hit directly at him .... he failed to notice that Moises Alou had a beat on the ball and would be able to lean into the crowd and seize the ball for an Out.
This all happened in probably the span of 3 seconds ... but his torment and suffering for that 3 seconds would go on to last for 13 Years.
Lots of people think 13 is an unlucky number .... and this man's bad luck lasted exactly that ... for 13 years. For in 2016 the Cubs finally did break the seal on their thought-to-be unbreakable curse and won the World Series.
Meanwhile, Bartman made his exit from Chicago many years prior, tormented by hate-pieces by journalists and death threats from fans. A man cast upon with a black mark .... a pariah cast off from Chicago society to live in Chicago-Exile.
True fans must have had a solemness in a small part of their hearts even during the Jubilation, Triumph, and Sex that went on after the 2016 World Series. Even during the celebration some felt that something was off ...... that something wasn't right in the great order of the Baseball Universe.
That something was Bartman.
Forgiveness
Today, The Chicago Cubs organization tracked down this scorned-upon man and offered something to him. Something to say, "Hey Steve, this is for you, man."
It's not some Cracker Jack prize, baby, it's not some cubic zarconian rip-off, no sireee, this is real deal. Steve Bartman is getting his own World Series ring.
If you live in the greater Chicago area and hold hatred in your heart for this man .... it's time to let it go now. He's paid more than enough for his mistake. The Aura of Punishment which follows this man wherever he goes must disintegrate.
When I look at that photo of Steve Bartman, I see a little bit of myself in there. Like looking in a mirror. I've never played baseball professionally, I've never been a GM or anything, or even a bat boy ... I'm just a Baseball Fan .... and when I look at the photo of that man that's all I see .... I see another Baseball Fan.
There's a little bit of Steve Bartman in every single one of us. We all make mistakes.
But .... we also all deserve Forgiveness for those mistakes.
Respect, Steve Bartman.
And Thus Concludes Today's Cubs Sermon from the Mount...
Praise be to Ernie Banks, and may Ivan DeJesus be With You Always
(and also with you....)
