1. The Block Heard ‘Round the World
This is the fan interference of MLB history.Steve Bartman innocently made his way to Wrigley Field for Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS with his Chicago Cubs leading the series with the Florida Marlins 3-2. As the championship starved Cubs led 3-0 opening the eighth inning, with a World Series trip on the horizon, Marlins second baseman Luis Castillo struck a foul ball down the left field line towards Cubs outfielder Moises Alou.
Alou leaped for the ball at the wall, hoping to get his team one out closer to the NL Pennant, but Bartman reached up with Alou and knocked the ball away. Umpires ruled no fan interference, and, as would only happen to the Cubs, the Marlins put up eight runs that inning, putting the game out of reach.
The series ultimately culminated in another year of disappointment for Chicago baseball fans, as the Marlins took that momentum and won the series, proceeding to then beat the 101-win Yankees in the World Series.
Unfortunately for him, Bartman became a city-wide icon for all the Cubs’ issues, by fans who blamed him for that momentum-shifting NLCS play for years to come.
So if there’s anything fans can learn from his experience and the others on this list, please keep the baseball to the MLB professionals.
