Bartman declines invitation to attend Cubs wild-card game

Despite the best efforts of some Chicago Cubs fans, Steve Bartman has declined an invitation to attend the team's upcoming National League wild-card game.

With the Cubs set to face the Pittsburgh Pirates, Keque Escobedo started a GoFundMe campaign to "make up for" the troubles Cubs fans have caused Bartman and send him to the game.

"It's nice of these people to think of Steve but he won't be taking advantage of the offer," Bartman's longtime spokesman Frank Murtha told ESPN. "He's perfectly capable of attending the game on his own, though he has no intention of being at the wild-card game."

Bartman has yet to make a public appearance since reaching to catch a foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS - a game and series that the Cubs went on to lose to the Florida Marlins.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

The money raised by the campaign will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association now that Bartman's declined the invitation.

"Steve is glad the money will go to a good cause and will be cheering on the Cubs as always," Murtha said.