Steve Bartman - much maligned fan of the Cubbies - was at the Houston game last night and in prime position to cue another Chicago meltdown.
But Instead of snatching Luke Scott's leadoff homerun ball out of the air before it fell into Jacque Jones glove and unwittingly sparking a Houston rally against a mentally fragile Cub's bullpen, ultimately leading to a loss and toppling the Northsiders from their division lead in the process ... HE REPENTS!!!
As the ball arcs out of the field of play and into the bleachers, resisting every urge to reach out and grab for it, Bartman apparently tickles the Houston fan sitting next to him. BARTMAN TICKLES HIM. How else can you explain the Houston fan - who is poised to pull a Jeffrey Maher and steal his team a home run - pulling his arms back like a scared child and squealing like a girl in middle school?
If a home run ball - your team's home run ball - is coming at you in the bottom of the ninth - YOU DO NOT RECOIL IN HORROR AND FEAR. You go for it. That's how I know the man lurking behind the Houston fan, making sure he could not interfere with destiny - was Steve. Who else could it be? And that's how I know he has seen the light and repented in the only way he could. Check the video evidence (screengrabbed for your convenience) - you'll see it too.
Amen Steve.
