Bartman's name, as well as personal information about him, appeared on Major League Baseball's online message boards minutes after the game ended. As many as six police cars gathered outside his home to protect Bartman and his family following the incident. Afterwards, then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich suggested that Bartman join a witness protection program, while then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush offered Bartman asylum. In the years after the incident, Bartman would live in virtual anonymity. He declined interviews, sponsorships, and request for public appearances. After the Cubs ended their 108-year drought and won the World Series in 2016, Steve Bartman's name once again came into focus as he received a championship ring from Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and the Ricketts family as a special gift on July 31, 2017. In his statement to the press, Bartman was relieved and hopeful that the saga of the 2003 foul ball incident surrounding himself and his family would finally be over.