Cubs Fan

Posted by Andy Baio

The Smoking Gun unmasked the name of the Cubs fan that interfered with a foul ball in Tuesday night’s Cubs game, and the Chicago Sun-Times printed far more information. The entire world now knows his name, age, employer, Little League team, and neighborhood. They also published a neighbor’s name, Ron Cohen, which exposes the fan’s home address, as well. A quick glance in Usenet shows that he has a long posting history, so we even know his likes and dislikes. (Update: It’s not the same Steve Bartman… Thanks, Jon.)

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t he still considered a private person? And doesn’t the Chicago Sun-Times article tangibly endanger his life? I’d love to hear from someone familiar with privacy law. Is he considered a limited public figure by appearing in a public place and trying to catch a foul ball? I’d say he has a decent case against the Smoking Gun and the Sun-Times for negligence.

At any rate, he’s rapidly turning into the net’s newest celebrity. The Photoshop remixes are coming fast and furious… I’ve compiled a list of them below. (My personal favorite.)

Update: DPS notes that SteveBartman.com/org/net domains have all been registered in the last few hours.


Assassination

Milton

Mastercard “Priceless” parodies (1, 2, 3)

Wanted: Dead or Nearly Dead

Not Getting Any

Ghost

Kill Kill

JFK Assassination

Hindenburg

Another Cubs Fan

Last Resort

Ferris Bueller

Fear the Goat

FBI’s Most Wanted

Star Wars Kid

Video:

The original clip (MPG)

Fan escorted out by security, harassed by fans (RealVideo)

Comments

    Nice finds, Andy.

    The Chicago ST article does seem like a privacy issue to me, and irresponsible. I’m sure the Bartmans’ phone is ringing off of the hook today. It reminds me of reading an article in The Bangkok Post about Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), who was a boy scout at the world jamboree in Thailand. The article bemoaned how the poor kid couldn’t get any privacy from fans… and then listed his campsite address.

    (I want to point out that I didn’t create, or condone that assassination image… The poor guy make a bad move, but an understandable one. And the Milton link is dead now. Sorry, I’m all done.)

    Has anybody thought to actually, y’know, blame the Cubs for the loss? No game or series is won or lost on any single play unless it’s the last out of the ninth inning. If your hopes for winning the World Series depend on catching a foul ball in the sixth game of the league championship, you’re in pretty deep trouble.

    That said: Go Cubbies!

    Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go take a Tagamet.

    It’s pretty amazing and kind of scary how quick all that personal information got around. Yikes. But I feel Greg makes a good…no, great, point.

    Let’s face it, the error by Gonzalez was far more costly to the Cubs last night than that poor old Bartman’s interference. I doubt there will be any mocked up images of him in someone’s sights.

    And yeah, I know that people (even some of the players) are saying that the interference changed the make-up of the game, etc. and I say, “so what?” The fact that some are using that as an excuse for what was ultimately a big time choke by the players is pretty weak. It’s one play for cryin’ out loud.

    A game, let alone a seven game series, is won on the field, not in the stands.

    And I blame Dusty Baker, nice guy that he is. Why isn’t the smoking gun publishing his personal details? It’s irresponsible to do to anyone.

    I have to point out, that this poor guy was not the only one going for the ball. Everyone around him was going for the ball. He didn’t do anything, that any other fan wouldn’t have done. (did that make sense?)..

    People suck.

    It’s not like it was a home run ball. And the A. Gonz error was a more substantial factor in determining the game. How bout publishing that information?

    One other thing to consider, I s’pose, is that the Chicago Tribune and the Cubs are owned by the same company. So, naturally, they’ll take the high road and not publish personal information.

    The Sun-Times, on the other hand, has no such ties and is the more sensational paper in town. What they’ve done is irresponsible, but they also have very little credibility when it comes to real news anyway.

    Does anyone know how I could save the Real Player clip (the one showing him being escorted by security) to my hard drive?

    I’d like to archive this for posterity.

    I am a life-long Cub fan, and feel horrible about the reaction towards Steve. It makes me sick to see the image of him sitting there with beer getting pelted with beer. It could have happened to anyone, he is being made a scapegoat (no pun intended) for the horrendous pitching. It should have never come down to that in the first place…if the ball was one foot further into the stands…this kid would still have a normal life. But the media loves drama, and has turned his life upside down.

    This fan forgives Steve and hopes that the rest of the Cub Nation can as well. Yah, it hurts to see the season end that way….but the reality of it is…..it is just a game. We’ll be back, it wasn’t meant to be this year. I honestly don’t think we had the team to do it anyway, we need a better bullpen, obviously, and a catcher that can hit.

    The cubs fans, even Alou sensed that with the way Prior was pitching, they desperately needed the out. The didn’t get clutch pitching, fielding, or hitting since the fifth game.

    I hope the pressure of this series was a good learning experience for the pitching staff.

    If gonzo got the damn double play ball none of this would matter. that said this type of crap doesnt happen with redsox or yankees fans(people who are actually following the f’ing game). Yankees and marlins world series? am i the only one who thinks that sucks!!!!

    I live in the UK, and it was even in the paper over here, when I bought it when I went out for lunch. I feel so sorry for the guy, and I think everyone should leave him the f*** alone.

    Cubs fans are truly classless. 7 games, at least 63 innings, the ugly error on the next play by Gonzalez, horrible pitching decisions and they want to blame this one guy on this one foul ball…

    Cubs fans suck.

    anyone know if i can get the transcripts from the on air ESPN prank call? I am searching around the net now.. a friend told me about it, im sorry i missed it… im not bustin on steve, contrarily, espn. [email protected]… thanks!

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