ESPN’s “Catching Hell” Documentary on Steve Bartman & Chicago Cubs

Tonight ESPN aired their award winning documentary series for the Fall season.  The focus was on the Chicago Cubs and Steve Bartman.  Bartman lives in infamy for interfering with a foul ball that Cubs left-fielder Moises Alou had an opportunity to catch.  The Cubs were only four outs away from reaching the World Series and putting an end to the “Curse of the Billy Goat”.

The two-hour documentary showed clips from Game 6 of the Cubs/Marlins game, along with statements from fans in attendance for the game.  Even never-before-seen footage was displayed from a fan’s home video camera of the crowd around Bartman all reaching out for the foul ball.

At times I felt like I was watching a documentary on the Kennedy Assassination.  The level of detail taken to break down every moment was scientific at times.  Freeze framing shots, adding radio audio to the live-camera action, and getting statements from Bartman’s three friends who were in attendance.  You’d think they were building a court case with all the evidence being stockpiled.

Let’s take a moment to focus on Steve Bartman’s three friends who accompanied him to the game.  He caught Hell for getting caught in the moment and making an honest mistake reaching for the foul ball.  But what about his friends?  While Bartman was being ridiculed they pretended like he didn’t exist.  Some friends!  I’m sorry but when I go out with my friends, I have their back and they have mine.  Someone throw beers and trash at me or one of my friends, there’s going to be consequences and repercussions.

What I want to know is did the female security guard who took Bartman home with her do some “personal” consoling?  She broke out in tears during her retelling of the situation that night.  Bartman might have given her the puppy-dog stare and asked her to make it all go away.  I say that’s why he never spoke to media. Too busy getting pity sex.

The perfect ending to the documentary would have been to have actual statements from Steve Bartman.  But he’s stuck to his principles and never given an interview.  Turned down numerous opportunities to make thousands of dollars from commercials or interviews.  God bless Steve Bartman, his Walkman and his headphones.

Timdogg

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE