Chicago Cubs gift 2016 World Series ring to Steve Bartman
Fourteen years after the infamous catch that changed his life, disgraced Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman has returned to Wrigley Field.
On Monday, Bartman met with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and received the gift of a lifetime -- a World Series ring.
"On behalf of the entire Chicago Cubs organization, we are honored to present a 2016 World Series Championship Ring to Mr. Steve Bartman," the Cubs said in a statement to local news station WGN.
Bartman became a household name in 2003 when he reached for a foul ball that left fielder Moises Alou was attempting to catch during Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. The Cubs were winning that game, but would go on to lose it and the series, lengthening their championship drought another year.
After a total of 108 years without a championship, the Cubs outlasted the Cleveland Indians in seven games to win the 2016 World Series.
"We hope this provides closure on an unfortunate chapter of the story that has perpetuated throughout our quest to win a long-awaited World Series," the team's statement continued.
Bartman's visit to Wrigley Field also included a tour of the park, which he chose not to return to even during last season's World Series.
"I humbly receive the ring not only as a symbol of one of the most historic achievements in sports, but as an important reminder for how we should treat each other in today's society," Bartman, who received death threats after the incident in 2003, said of the honor.
Photos and videos of the occasion are unlikely to be published due to Bartman's ongoing requests for peace and privacy.
See photos from the team's championship celebration:
