Could the Cubs, Ricketts Reconcile With Bartman?

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts bought the team with the goal of closing the book on the longest championship drought in professional sports history. And now since the Cubs won the World Series, it appears as though he's after another type of closure, this time with one particular exiled fan.

That fan is Steve Bartman, who rose to infamy in 2003 when he attempted to catch a foul ball during the Cubs’ Game 6 loss to the Florida Marlins in the NLCS. That play seemingly changed the momentum of the whole series, and the Cubs would go on to lose the pennant and the series to the upstart Marlins.

Now, 13 years later and with a World Series trophy on the mantel, Ricketts is looking to bury the hatchet with Bartman.

“I’m sure we’ll reach out to him at the right time, and I’m sure we’ll figure something out that provides closure for everybody,” Ricketts said in an interview with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “Hopefully, we can make it work.”

Ever since the incident, Bartman has maintained a low profile, granting no interviews and making no public appearances since he was thrust onto the national spotlight. Even the Cubs’ recent World Series win wasn’t enough to get him to surface again, as he continued to opt for a private existence.

He likely will keep that up even if the Cubs reach out to him to make peace, but bigger miracles (like a World Series title) have certainly taken place.

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