Chicago Cubs Lack of World Series and Curse Theory Term Paper

Chicago Cubs

The history of athletics and sports has been dominated by superstition. Players have lucky socks which they refuse to change for a whole season. Until they won the World Series, Boston Red Socks fans were convinced that their favorite team had been cursed by a bad trade with the New York Yankees over Babe Ruth. This article concerns the fans of the Chicago Cubs who are equally certain that the only reason that their team has not won the World Series because of a similar supernatural phenomenon, specifically a cursed stadium seat.

Writer Matt Linder tells the story about a moment back in 2003 that changed the history of this franchise. Spectator Steve Bartman was sitting in the infamous seat: Seat 113 in Aisle 4, Row 8 at Wrigley Field when a foul ball came his way during the eight inning of the NLCS. Left fielder Moises Alou made a dive to catch the fly ball which would have made the batter out. Instead, Bartman reached over the rail and caught the ball. This was the closest that the Chicago White Sox had come to participating in the Series since 1945. To this day, Bartman's name is synonymous with villainy for Cubs fans and the seat has become a tourist destination, many baseball fans taking the time to photograph the otherwise inauspicious molded green plastic folding chair.Now whereas the author of the article seems to take an impartial view of the situation, it is evident from the people he quoted that he sides with the fans against Bartman and his action. Among the testimonials that are used throughout the piece, none were in defense of this man. The only person listed who does not have negative emotions towards Steve Bartman is the man who went for the ball, Moises Alou. This is not presented as a direct quote, giving the inclusion of the sentence, "Alou admitted that he wouldn't have caught the foul pop that Bartman has been vilified for and that he's made peace with the incident" an off the hand quality which detracts from the reader believing the sentence. Especially when you compare that sentence with the one from earlier in the same article where Linder wrote, "In the eighth inning of the potential NLCS-clinching game against Florida, [Bartman] interfered with a pop foul seemingly destined to land in the glove of Cubs left fielder Moises Alou." This is only one specific example wherein the reader is subtly directed to agree with Cubs fans and feel anger towards Steve Bartman and his reaching hands.

The first image of the piece, showing Steve Bartman reaching beyond the wall to take….....