Steve Bartman Still Attends Cubs Games - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

UPDATE: Hey, did you know that today is April Fool's Day? Because I sure didn't before I wrote this post up! Turns out it's an April Fool's joke, and I am playing the part of your April Fool.

You remember Steve Bartman, don't you? If you're a Cubs fan you probably just responded with "Do I!?" before picking your computer up and throwing it out the window. Bartman, of course, is the infamous fan who "interfered" with a foul ball that started another epic Cubs collapse in game six of the 2003 NLCS, and was then made a scapegoat for the Cubs blowing the series by Cubs fans everywhere.

Ever since that incident, Bartman has escaped back into the real world and gone about his life in relative anonymity, which is why it's a bit of a coup that Bugs & Cranks' Cameron Martin was able to score an interview with the Cubs fan. One of the things we find out about Bartman in the interview? Turns out, he's still going to Cubs games. Cubs playoff games.

Steve Bartman: ...I was last at Wrigley for Game 3 of last year's playoff series versus the Diamondbacks.

Cameron Martin: What? Geez, that's bold. I mean, well, OK, forget how I think people would typically treat you. Tell me yourself. Did people recognize you? Say anything? Threaten you?

Steve Bartman: Since 2003 I've had my share of near scrapes and screaming matches, I'm not going to lie to you. Without the support of my friends and family, I probably wouldn't have gotten through it too well. Nobody recognized me at Game 3, and no, I wasn't wearing a disguise. And no, I wasn't wearing that same outfit (from the 2003 playoff game). Even if people had recognized (me)...listen, it was just a baseball game. I mean, don't get me wrong. I was sick to my stomach for weeks after that. But at some point you have to let it go. And I have. And that's what I tell anyone who meets me and says, "Geez, you fool! What were you thinking?" Man, that was the whole point: I wasn't thinking! which is what I said in that statement after the game. I mean, did I feel responsible? Sure, I did. But do I feel like I personally cost the Cubs their chance to make the World Series? I know Cubs fans would love for me to say yes, but the truth is, I don't. I'll probably get blasted for saying that, but that's that.

Bartman is right, he didn't cost the Cubs the World Series. He didn't boot that easy ground ball right afterwards, Alex Gonzalez did. He didn't leave Mark Prior in too long, Dusty Baker did. He also wasn't in attendance for game 7, so he couldn't lose that one for the Cubs either. Overall, it's a pretty good interview and I recommend reading it if you have the time.