Movie Review: Catching Hell

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Steve Bartman making his infamous catch

     In September, a new ESPN film came out called Catching Hell. This movie, directed by Alex Gibney, depicts the effects scapegoating can have on players and fans, specifically Steve Bartman.
     During the 2003 NLCS,  at Wrigley field, the Marlins hit a foul ball to the left side. The Cubs needed only five more outs to reach the World Series. Cubs left fielder Moises Alou jumped into the air to catch the ball when a fan, 28 year old Steve Bartman, reached out and caught the ball right above Alou. Alou reacted by throwing a mini tantrum, indicating that he believed the ball was his to catch. The Marlins would rally to win, and go to the World Series. The TV station continued to air replays of Bartman catching the ball. When fans in the stands found out about this, they began to throw things at Bartman and chant "A******!" . He had to be escorted out by security. Even his friends he went to the game with left him there.

Courtesy ESPN

     The documentary did a good job pointing out that there were many other fans who were also reaching out at the same time as Bartman. It analyzed many different accounts of what happened, and concluded that the series should not be blamed on Bartman.The movie was interesting and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in baseball and fans.

To find out more about the movie, click here.

By Taco (Myka)