[UA] The Bartman Baseball

[Tim Toner]

This says pretty much everything-and it's a UK source to boot!  What
everyone who vilifies the poor bastard seems to ignore is that he's not the
only one who went for the ball.  He did what millions of other fans do on
instinct alone-he went for the ball.  The ball had crossed into the stands,
and fans do as fan do.   

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/us_sport/3200068.stm

 

Don't do the Bartman 

Imagine being one of your favourite team's most fervent fans and ruining
their chances of sporting glory. 

That's exactly what hapless Chicago Cubs supporter Steve Bartman did with
his heroes on the verge of their first World Series since 1945. 

 

With the Cubs 3-2 up in their best-of-seven series against Florida for the
National League title, and 3-0 ahead in game six, their return to baseball's
Fall Classic was seemingly assured. 

 

But then, with Chicago five outs away from the NL championship, came Mr
Bartman's intervention. 

 

As he rose to try to catch an eighth-inning Marlins foul fly-ball dropping
towards him, he didn't notice Cubs star Moises Alou leaping to do the same. 

 

Bartman got in Alou's way and the rest, as they say, is history. 

 

Florida celebrated their let-off by hitting eight runs to level the series,
and won again in Chicago the next night to book their berth in the season's
finale. 

 

 

OK, so it may not be entirely fair to blame Bartman for the Cubs' woes, but
sports fans needs a scapegoat when things go wrong. 

So one minute you're an unassuming little league baseball coach from the
suburbs, and the next you're the Windy City's biggest Public Enemy Number
One since Al Capone. 

 

His fellow fans showed their ire with signs at the Cub's Wrigley Field
calling Bartman "America's Most Wanted" and worse. 

 

The Governor of Illinois described his actions as "stupid" and one city
councillor suggested he should move - to Alaska. 

 

Mocked-up images on the internet blamed Bartman for everything from JFK's
assassination to the Hindenburg airship disaster. 

 

But it wasn't all bad news for the 26-year-old. 

 

Fans of the Cub's local rivals the Chicago White Sox rang radio phone-ins
offering him safe-house protection in the city. 

 

 

Jeb Bush, the Governor of Florida and brother of US president George W, said
Bartman could apply for political asylum in the Sunshine State. 

And grateful Marlins fans offered him everything from free plastic surgery
and lifetime membership of a strip club to an all-expenses paid holiday. 

 

Of course, all Bartman really wanted was for his beloved Cubs to win. 

 

"I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart," he
said in a statement. 

 

And he didn't even get to keep the ball as a souvenir... 

 

 

 

Republicans for Voldemort
Because Fictional Elections Deserve Fictional Characters.
http://www.goats.com/archive/030808.html

  _____  

From: ua-bounces at lists.unknown-armies.com
[mailto:ua-bounces at lists.unknown-armies.com] On Behalf Of Dean Reilly
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 11:21 PM
To: The Unknown Armies RPG Mailing List
Subject: Re: [UA] The Bartman Baseball

 

Me too.  I apologise for any unintentional America-bashing.  Please don't
call in Homeland Security :)  I'd still like to know what the Bartman
Baseball is.  Anyone got a link?

Katie & Saul <pulse at electricearth.net> wrote: 

I agree. I was only kidding ;)

Saul

----- Original Message -----
From: "Liam Routt" 
To: "The Unknown Armies RPG Mailing List" 
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [UA] The Bartman Baseball


> Am I the only one who thinks it is *interesting* to hear about special
> things in *other* cultures? I *want* to know what the cultural icons and
> artifacts are in the US. I *also* want to know the same sort of
> information about other cultures, as I will have a hard time working them
> out without a knowledgable person from that culture to show me the way.
>
> Why do people always complain "that's so US-centric!" rather than simply
> saying "interesting! here's something of a similar sort from my culture!".
> This stuff isn't exclusive - the US material doesn't stop anyone from
> posting about other places.
>
> Take care,
>
> Liam
> --
> Liam Routt liam at routt.net
> Darcsyde Productions http://www.routt.net/Caligari/
>
> -- still waiting for the Absolute Destiny Apocalypse --
> _______________________________________________
> UA mailing list
> UA at lists.unknown-armies.com
> http://lists.unknown-armies.com/mailman/listinfo/ua
>

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