Baseball has a very special place in American culture.
Few sports have as rich a history and tradition as baseball.
But this fan base nearly imploded after a game-winning hit was called off for one rage-inducing reason.
Crazy homerun reversal
Most major sports have adopted some form of video review, allowing game officials to review and correct certain calls on the field.
Baseball was among the last sports to implement this tool, but in recent years, officials have made some major calls using video review.
Just last Sunday, in a matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies, umpires overturned what would have been a walk-off home run.
“With the game tied 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings hit a fastball from Mariners reliever Ryne Stanek deep to left field,” Yahoo! Sports reported. “Seattle left fielder Dylan Moore tracked the ball to the wall and looked ready to make a home-run-robbing catch.”
“However, as Moore jumped for the ball, a fan reached out to attempt a catch and prevented a play from being made. With the ball ricocheting back onto the field, umpires ruled Stallings’ hit a double. Believing that Stallings hit a home run, the Rockies called for a review,” the report added.
Talkin’ Baseball shared a clip of the incident on X with the caption, “What should have been a walk-off home run for Jacob Stallings was called an out due to fan interference.”
What should have been a walk-off home run for Jacob Stallings was called an out due to fan interference pic.twitter.com/yL9Pj6yGTo
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 21, 2024
Although this fan interference worked in Seattle’s favor, it has many baseball fans remembering one of the most infamous fan interference calls in baseball history.
During Game 6 of the National League Championship Series between the Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins, Cubs fan Steve Bartman lunged across the railing in front of his third baseline seat to try to snag a fly ball.
Bartman caught the ball, robbing Cubs’ left fielder Moises Alou of the chance to put away a crucial out in such a big game.
Ultimately, thanks largely to the momentum change that resulted from Bartman’s actions, the Marlins went on to win the series, keeping the Cubs out of the World Series for yet another year.
Many Cubs fans obviously blamed Bartman for the team’s failure to make the World Series.
To this very day, fans often refuse to sit in the seat Bartman sat in on that fateful day in Wrigley Field.
Bartman’s incident proves the legacy that surrounds baseball
Bartman learned the hard way that baseball is the most superstitious sport in the world.
Most fans dream of catching a homerun or fly ball, however, Steve Bartman proved that you should always be careful before sticking your glove out.
After all, it could be your seat that people refuse to sit in for decades.
US Political Daily will keep you updated on any developments to this ongoing story.
