Steve Bartman’s Interference (2003)
In 2003, the Chicago Cubs seemed poised to end their 95-year World Series drought with a 3-2 lead over the Marlins in the National League Championship Series. It all fell apart in the eighth inning of Game 6, when fan Steve Bartman interfered with a foul ball that outfielder Moises Alou had a chance to catch for the inning’s second out. The Cubs led 3-0 at the time, but the Marlins would go on to score eight runs throughout the rest of the inning and knock the Cubs out of the playoffs the following day. The Cubs’ already superstitious fanbase disproportionately blamed Bartman for the collapse to the point that he feared for his safety, but the Cubs made it up to him by giving him a World Series ring after their 2016 victory.