Morry Gash/Associated Press

Steve Bartman Included Among Fan Cutouts Down LF Line at A's vs. Mariners Game

Scott Polacek

There was a head-turning fan cutout included among those down the third base line at T-Mobile Park for Sunday's game between the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners:

Seattle notably did not include a disclaimer with the cutout explaining Steve Bartman has one more World Series ring than the entire Mariners franchise after the Chicago Cubs gave him one for their 2016 efforts.

Bartman infamously reached for a fly ball during Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series between the Cubs and then-Florida Marlins. He was sitting down the third base line and deflected the ball, potentially preventing Moises Alou from catching it for a key second out in the eighth inning with the Cubs leading 3-0 in the game and 3-2 in the series.

It is not a stretch to suggest Chicago would have won the game and NLCS if Alou caught it, but the home team allowed eight runs after the play and eventually lost the series in seven games.

Plenty of Cubs fans blamed Bartman for continuing the supposed curse over the team that was preventing it from winning a World Series, sparking a 30 for 30 documentary and a place in baseball history.

However, Chicago's 2016 championship surely softened the stance of many fans and even inspired the organization to give him a ring.

   

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