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The Loneliest Man in the World
I am not a Cubs fan and am only a casual Sox fan (I support the team from my birthplace). As such I do not understand what decades and decades of utter despair and futility can do to the fans in this town, and I hope I never will.
That being said, I can't help feeling really bad for "The Fan", the 26-year-old guy who tried to catch the foul ball and led, at least karmically, if not in reality, to the Cubs not winning the pennant for the first time in 58 years.
It's ridiculous what he is having to put up with. At least 5 death threats, media camped out at his home and workplace, not to mention having thousands of people who for some insane reason want to assault him on sight. Cubs fans are always quick to tell anyone in earshot that they are the Best Fans in Baseball. I've always doubted that, having witnessed firsthand the drunken frat boy atmosphere in the bleachers at Wrigley, where most people hardly know a game is going on, they are so blitzed.
While they do have some truly loyal, passionate longtime fans who deserve better, many of them deserve just what they got. Especially those who are willing to cannibalize one of their own.
The poor guy now joins a billy goat and Leon Durham in the pantheon of the mystic excuses the Cubs have for not winning. He'll probably have to move. That would be a shame.
Particularly shameful was the media, especially the Chicago Sun-Times which started it, publicizing his name and where he lives and works. I only wish he had a cause of action against them, but he most likely doesn't.
Bottom line, blame the overpaid millionaires on the field who actually play the game. Leave the guy alone.
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