Can ‘Mad Ball’ authors end the Cubs curse?

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Thomas Hoffman and Walter Yurkanin wrote “Mad Ball,” a book looking at the infamous Bartman incident during the 2003 National League Championship Series. | Photo provided

Updated: May 9, 2012 9:55AM

It’s been eight years since Steve Bartman became fan non grata after he reached up to grab what appeared to be a foul ball during Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series. Who knew the move would end up breaking the momentum of the World Series-bound Chicago Cubs — a reverse of fortune that continues to this day.

But was Bartman a fan who simply tried to do what any fan would if a game ball suddenly came hurling his way? Is he really to blame for the Cubs’ meltdown and subsequent perpetuation of the team’s curse?

Walter Yurkanin and Thomas Hoffman say no. The Chicago attorneys launched an investigation into the Bartman incident the day after the Cubs’ fateful loss.

Their analysis not only exonerates Bartman, it places blame for the ensuing controversy on confusing Major League Baseball rules, bad umpiring and a frenzied crowd hungry for a scapegoat.

Yurkanin lives in New Lenox and graduated from Providence Catholic High School and St. Xavier University. Hoffman grew up nine blocks from Wrigley Field. They are longtime friends and lifelong Cubs fans. Their book, “Mad Ball” (Networlding Publishing; $14.95), sums up their findings and offers suggestions on how the team can absolve Bartman of any wrongdoing and move forward, leaving that blasted curse in the dust.

Q: The Cubs were cruising until that play. How did it affect momentum?

Yurkanin: Momentum is everything in sports. Not only did this play have momentum changing aspects for that game and the subsequent game but it has continued to be a momentum changer for the Cubs organization. They’ve lost eight straight playoff games since.

Hoffman: I was at the game. When that play occurred it was like everything got sucked out of the park, almost like everybody knew something bad had just happened.

Q: What qualified you guys to write this book?

Hoffman: As attorneys, we’re trained to be analytical, trained to determine what’s reliable information, what’s verifiable. Walter and I have this weird personality in which we actually enjoy engrossing ourselves in all this minutia. What’s really amazing is Walter and I don’t see things the way a lot of others do. We’re baffled at that. Even the ESPN film “Catching Hell” doesn’t agree with us. (The authors have a small part in the film.)

Q: Why call it “Mad Ball?”

Hoffman: Baseball, to a lot of people, is almost like a religion. It can get really emotional. When that (incident) happened, a lot of people got mad. The outfielder was mad, the fans were outraged, there was a lot of madness.

Q: You attacked this issue from seemingly every angle. What is your conclusion?

Yurkanin: Plainly looking at the rule and applying it to the facts, we find fan interference. (That call would have ruled the batter out.) Part of (the problem) is people’s minds are made up and they aren’t willing to look at it another way. I think our book will push them to do that. We literally walk them through the facts and help them arrive at a conclusion.

Hoffman: We’re making recommendations — look at the rules, maybe change them, certainly they can be clarified; look at the umpire and umpire training; exonerate Bartman; institute the instant replay; rethink fan behavior at games. It would be great if the Cubs could invite Bartman to Wrigley for the 10-year anniversary and celebrate what a good season 2003 was. Maybe then we can put all this behind us.

For more information on “Mad Ball,” visit http://baseballcommission.homestead.com/index.html

The book is available on Kindle and at amazon.com