bobafrett
02-27-2004, 11:34 PM
I tried to find the 2004 Baseball thread that was started a few weeks ago.
Nothing came up under my search, so I assume it was deleted or merged.
Anyway, for those of you who don't know it by now, the infamous "Bartman"
ball was destroyed yesterday. Read the story below. It looked much better
when watching it on TV!
Infamous Foul Ball Gets Explosive Send-off in Chicago
Feb 27, 3:36 AM (ET)
BY ANNA JOHNSON
CHICAGO (AP) - Die-hard Chicago Cubs fan Dave Kunicki watched as the
baseball many blame for the team's playoff failure last year was reduced to
a pile of thread.
He wasn't impressed.
"To be honest, we were a little underwhelmed," Kunicki said. "It was a
little overhyped. But only in Chicago would fans care enough about their
team for this to happen."
The ball was blown up Thursday night by a Hollywood special effects expert
in a flash of light and sparks inside a bulletproof tank. The stunt was
broadcast live on television from inside a tent at Harry Caray's Restaurant,
but some fans who gathered on the street outside didn't have much of a view.
"All of a sudden it was bang, bang and it was over. But it's still exciting
to be here," said Kim Hoffman of Hinkley.
To celebrate the ball's destruction, some fans wore replicas of the thick,
black-framed glasses worn by Caray, the famous Cubs' broadcaster. Most held
up a beer to toast Caray, who died in 1998, and sang "Take Me Out to the
Ball Game" just before the ball was obliterated.
Kathy Kemulcahy of Glendale Heights said now that the ball is gone and its
curse is lifted, it's time to talk about the upcoming season.
"I'm very relieved," Kemulcahy said. "It's done, and now we're going to the
World Series."
Ward Tannerhauser, who stood above the crowd on stilts dressed as Wrigley
Field's ivy outfield, also was optimistic about the season. He hopes he can
paint his green leafy costume red in the fall if the Cubs make it to the
World Series.
"It's going to be a great year for the Cubs. They have the best pitching,"
Tannerhauser said. "And I'm hoping that in the fall, I change to red to
match the (ivy) wall as it turns colors. Red means World Series."
The Cubs almost got there last year.
With Chicago leading the Florida Marlins 3-0 on Oct. 14 and just five outs
from their first World Series appearance since 1945, Cubs fan Steve Bartman
reached for the ball hit toward his front-row seat at Wrigley Field,
knocking it away from left fielder Moises Alou. The Cubs then gave up eight
runs to the Marlins, and squandered another lead in Game 7 the next night.
Bartman, who has made no public statements since issuing an apology in
October, didn't plan to attend Thursday's event, a family friend said.
In its final hours, the ball was put on display, given a massage and treated
to a "last meal" of steak and lobster, or at least the aroma.
Grant DePorter, who helped buy the ball at an auction for $113,824 on behalf
of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group, lined up hours of music, comedy and
celebrity appearances for Thursday's event.
DePorter also teamed up with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and
made the event a fund-raiser, which was expected to raise $1 million.
"This is the kind of thing that makes dads sleep better," said Ron Rhode, a
foundation board member, whose 10-year-old daughter has diabetes. "We're one
step closer to a cure now and all this is over a little ball."
Nothing came up under my search, so I assume it was deleted or merged.
Anyway, for those of you who don't know it by now, the infamous "Bartman"
ball was destroyed yesterday. Read the story below. It looked much better
when watching it on TV!
Infamous Foul Ball Gets Explosive Send-off in Chicago
Feb 27, 3:36 AM (ET)
BY ANNA JOHNSON
CHICAGO (AP) - Die-hard Chicago Cubs fan Dave Kunicki watched as the
baseball many blame for the team's playoff failure last year was reduced to
a pile of thread.
He wasn't impressed.
"To be honest, we were a little underwhelmed," Kunicki said. "It was a
little overhyped. But only in Chicago would fans care enough about their
team for this to happen."
The ball was blown up Thursday night by a Hollywood special effects expert
in a flash of light and sparks inside a bulletproof tank. The stunt was
broadcast live on television from inside a tent at Harry Caray's Restaurant,
but some fans who gathered on the street outside didn't have much of a view.
"All of a sudden it was bang, bang and it was over. But it's still exciting
to be here," said Kim Hoffman of Hinkley.
To celebrate the ball's destruction, some fans wore replicas of the thick,
black-framed glasses worn by Caray, the famous Cubs' broadcaster. Most held
up a beer to toast Caray, who died in 1998, and sang "Take Me Out to the
Ball Game" just before the ball was obliterated.
Kathy Kemulcahy of Glendale Heights said now that the ball is gone and its
curse is lifted, it's time to talk about the upcoming season.
"I'm very relieved," Kemulcahy said. "It's done, and now we're going to the
World Series."
Ward Tannerhauser, who stood above the crowd on stilts dressed as Wrigley
Field's ivy outfield, also was optimistic about the season. He hopes he can
paint his green leafy costume red in the fall if the Cubs make it to the
World Series.
"It's going to be a great year for the Cubs. They have the best pitching,"
Tannerhauser said. "And I'm hoping that in the fall, I change to red to
match the (ivy) wall as it turns colors. Red means World Series."
The Cubs almost got there last year.
With Chicago leading the Florida Marlins 3-0 on Oct. 14 and just five outs
from their first World Series appearance since 1945, Cubs fan Steve Bartman
reached for the ball hit toward his front-row seat at Wrigley Field,
knocking it away from left fielder Moises Alou. The Cubs then gave up eight
runs to the Marlins, and squandered another lead in Game 7 the next night.
Bartman, who has made no public statements since issuing an apology in
October, didn't plan to attend Thursday's event, a family friend said.
In its final hours, the ball was put on display, given a massage and treated
to a "last meal" of steak and lobster, or at least the aroma.
Grant DePorter, who helped buy the ball at an auction for $113,824 on behalf
of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group, lined up hours of music, comedy and
celebrity appearances for Thursday's event.
DePorter also teamed up with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and
made the event a fund-raiser, which was expected to raise $1 million.
"This is the kind of thing that makes dads sleep better," said Ron Rhode, a
foundation board member, whose 10-year-old daughter has diabetes. "We're one
step closer to a cure now and all this is over a little ball."