Cubs Fans Blame Heartbreaking Loss on Fan's Blunder

fox ^ | 10-14-03

[wheelgunguru]

CHICAGO

[Brad’s Gramma]

SON! CALL HOME NOW!!!

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

its just a damn game...get over yourselves

[South40]

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[greydog]

Anyone got a screen shot of that Bozo?

I was watching the game and before he was escorted out he looked like he just cut one in church.

[ambrose]

The Cubs were leading 3 to 0 when the fan grabbed that ball. Pathetic that they'd blame their choke job on him. That's da Cubbies for you...

[PRND21]

its just a damn game...get over yourselves

Tell that to Buckner or Donnie Moore.
That dude will have to move if the Cubs lose the series.

[South40]

Anyone got a screen shot of that Bozo?

Check my post #4.

[Mr. Mojo]

Obscene chants echoed from inside the stadium and from the surrounding streets,

Real classy fans. How about directing the blame on your CHOKING team instead?

[GB]

The error by the shortstop, and Baker not taking Prior out about two batters earlier when just about everything Prior was heaving up there was getting ripped had more to do with the Cubs losing than this incident.

[South40]

The Cubs were leading 3 to 0 when the fan grabbed that ball. Pathetic that they'd blame their choke job on him. That's da Cubbies for you...

Exactly. The error by Alex Gonzalez and a ton of hits by the Marlins is why the Cubs lost.

[jwh_Denver]

its just a damn game...get over yourselves

Oh yes, from the city of Champions no less.

[Sabertooth]

Ballpark guards escorted the man, who was wearing a Cubs hat, from his seat along the low outfield wall and into a security office as the game ended. He covered his face with a sweater as he walked past fans who pelted him with cups of beer and shouted obscenities. Some chanted "kill him."

There's no justice like street justice.

Sucks to be dumb.

[greydog]

Can anyone spell "Momentum"?

[CAR913]

Exactly. That fan didn't bobble the grounder to short, or give up that bases-clearing double.

[GB]

The thing is, the guy had every right to go after the ball. If the ball goes into the stands, then it's fair game for the fans and interference can't be called.

Interference is basically when a fan reaches into the field of play and hinders the fielder. If the fielder reaches into the stands trying to make a play, even though it's a hustling play and the guy is doing what it takes to help his team win and it always looks good on the highlight reels, there's always the risk of this happening. And even if he's busting his tail and hustling and trying to make the catch, he doesn't have any recourse because, again, when the ball goes out of the field of play, it's fair game. The fielder has an unimpeded right to the ball if it's in the field of play; if it goes into the stands it's a roll of the dice and he does not have that unimpeded right.

If you'll remember, the umpire was right there staring at the play, perfect view, and did not call interference.

The question here, though, is SHOULD the fan have gone after the ball. Should he have exercised that right? Of course not. If it was someone on my team trying to make the catch and I was sitting there, I would hope that I'd have gotten about as far out of the way as I could. But as the guy on Fox mentioned, there's just something about a ball coming your way at a baseball game to where it's a reflex action to go after it.

[capitan_refugio]

Since the ball was still above the playing field, the umpire should have called the play an "out."

This is called "Spectator Interference" in Rule 2.0 "Interference" (d). If the umpire reasonably believes the catch would have been made, he calls the batter "out" and the ball is dead.

[South40]

No dount it cost them the momentum but it didn't cost them the game as the Cubs were still firmly in the lead after the incident.

[Al Simmons]

Listen Jack, when I was a Yankee fan in NYC in my younger days, whenever a similar situation occured, I spread my 6'5" wingspread and leaned backwards, keeping other fans away, with the shout of: "GIVE HIM ROOM!" (to make the catch). Of course, if it was the opposing team in the field, I'd try to get the ball.

This guy is (was?) apparently a CUBS FAN. Therefore his behavior is INEXCUSABLE. If I was there, and if I was a Cubs fan, and the disaster unfolded after his interference, I wouldn't have just yelled at him. I'd have punched his lights out. If you can't understand that then you should probably eschew professional sports.

Yes, its only a game. Nevertheless, if he had gotten what he deserved afterwards, I would have UNDERSTOOD it (if not condoned it - I am talking about far more drastic measures than a mere knock-out, which would be justified under the circumstances). If the Cubs lose and the City is robbed of a dream Yankee-Cubs matchup, this guy should be tarred, feathered, and ridden out of town on a rail. Public flogging would also be cathartic, but alas, we are too "civilized" for such punishments (we just murder babies by the million in our post-classical sophistication).

Cordially,

"Al"