Although baseball was my passion as a youngster, I have not followed baseball closely since the run of the Toronto Blue Jays to their World Series titles in 1992-93 and the disappointing loss to the 1994 season due to a players strike at which time had my beloved Montreal Expos poised to clutch the National League Pennant. Then came along this fascinating critically acclaimed documentary by Alex Gibney called “Catching Hell”. Now, it’s not so much the baseball element that I find intriguing but the underpinning of an energy shift associated with the story that has really got me thinking in the context of some reading that I’m doing right now.
You have heard about the losing ways of the Chicago Cubs. It is probably the preeminent sporting franchise with rich history most famous for never taking a championship title. However; what you may not be familiar with is the Steve Bartman story. Let me give you the Coles Notes version of what happened to the Chicago Cubs in 2003. The Cubs are up 3 games to 2 and 3-0 heading into the eighth inning of the best of seven National League Championship series playing at home against the Florida Marlins. “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” is being sung in the seven inning stretch and the host singer substitutes the word “Champs” for “home team”. This “flub” one might say had some fans feeling uneasy looking to the Billy Goat curse imposed by Tavern owner Billy Sianis back in 1945. The stadium became anxious. Then the Marlins took to the sticks in the top of the eighth. Courting this three run lead with one out - the home fans in their state of anxiety may not have been totally tuned into the state of affairs on the field. Then again, their zeal in retrieving a foul ball may have simply been instinctual. Crack – a foul ball to left and Moises Alou has it within sights reaching up and over the wall for a catch that looks almost routine - yet a flurry of fans scramble for their souvenir. Steve Bartman, a 26 year old computer consultant, gets credited for the catch instead of left fielder Alou. Wrigley Field encounters a total collapse in energy. Bartman is vilified by media and fans alike. Security is required to protect this quiet unassuming computer guy with glasses, turtleneck and walkman. The Marlins go on to score eight runs in the inning and the feature story of the game becomes Steve Bartman.
In fact, Steve Bartman, the object of the loss to game six becomes the feature story to open game seven the next night The Marlins confidently closed out the NLCS in seven to go on to the World Series.
Gibney was vigilant in ensuring that he captured the mood of what was happening. Certainly, the Alou out would have been the second out for the side but subsequently the short stop made an uncharacteristic error and the “stuff” from the pitcher’s hand seemed to lose its magic. It was like a new envelope encased Wrigley field and the loss of positive vibration at the scene played favourably to the visiting team. The Cubs were in a position of attracting what they feared as a result of focusing on what they did not want to happen.
Currently, I’m re-reading “Ask and It Is Given” by Esther and Jerry Hicks. It deals specifically with how we are individually and collectively receiving and transmitting energy. Gibney has intentionally or unintentionally produced a theme to his documentary that has implications outside the ball park.
