One Cubs fan. One foul ball. One city looking for someone to blame.
Trailer for “Catching Hell”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Cubs fans threw beer and screamed death threats at Steve Bartman. Security had to escort him out of Wrigley Field—all for reaching for a foul ball.
- TV stations exposed Bartman’s name and home address. He received death threats and went into hiding.
- The Cubs were five outs from their first World Series since 1945. Then they gave up eight runs in one inning. Bartman took the blame instead of the players.
Watch “Catching Hell”
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Ratings:
- My Rating: 94/100
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 89/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Alex Gibney directed this 102-minute ESPN “30 for 30” documentary. Gibney also directed “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” and “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.“
Release Date: September 27, 2011 (ESPN)
Other Unique Stuff
- Bartman wasn’t the only fan reaching for the ball. Several others tried to catch it, and the umpire didn’t even call fan interference.
- Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez made an easy fielding error moments later that helped the Marlins come back. But few people blamed him.
- The Cubs gave Bartman a World Series ring in 2017 after ending their 108-year championship drought. He accepted it but stayed out of the spotlight.
Wrap Up:
“Catching Hell” is one of my favorite ESPN “30 for 30” stories because it shows how quickly sports fans can turn an ordinary person into a villain.
Thanks for reading!
Heatehr Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc