The nightmarish experience of Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman can happen to any fan. That's the sobering message of ESPN Films' new documentary, Catching Hell, that premiered Saturday at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

If you think there's nothing new to say about the infamous foul ball deflected by Bartman during Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field, think again. This disturbing new documentary by Alex Gibney brilliantly captures the thin line between love and hate that beats in the heart of many sports fans. And the phenomenon of scapegoating.

With the Lovable Losers only five outs from the World Series, the film shows with crime scene-like detail how Bartman and other fans reached for a foul pop headed for the glove of Cubs outfielder Moises Alou. The ball deflected away -- sending Alou off into a tirade. The Florida Marlins came back to win Game 6. The fans at the "Friendly Confines" turned into an angry mob one eyewitness compares to the pitchfork-bearing villagers in Frankenstein. (Video after jump)

Bartman, a meek, bespectacled Little League coach, is showered with beer, curses and death threats. He's escorted away for his own protection. As he flees with a jacket over his head, one fan urges him to blow his own head off with a shotgun.

The film shows in minute detail how Bartman wasn't the only reaching for the ball. (Another fan got it and sold it for $100,000). Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez booted an easy grounder. The Cubs could still have won the decisive Game 7. But it was Bartman who had to be escorted from Wrigley in disguise to save him from furious fans.

Bartman, a lifelong Cubs fan, apologized in a written statement and asked fellow fans for forgiveness. Good luck with that. He's still called the most hated man in Chicago. His face adorns dart boards. One fan compared his "evil" to that of the September 11th hijackers. He stayed in the Chicago area but has lived as a semi-recluse ever since becoming, as one interviewee says, the "J.D. Salinger" of Chicago.

The saddest part? Out of everybody involved, from Alou who egged on fans with his reaction to Fox broadcaster Steve Lyons to the TV producers who showed his face over and over, Bartman's acted the most honorably. He's never tried to cash in on the incident although he's been offered hundreds of thousands of dollars to tell his story.

At the after-party, New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss said he just wanted to give Bartman "a hug" after watching the film. Gibney noted it would serve Chicago right if the Cubs threw a "Steve Bartman Day" and the man of honor decided not to show up.

Here's video of the scary scene after the incident. The flick will air on ESPN this fall: