Boguslaw “Bob” Czapla of Elmwood Park was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for blinding a man after a debate at a toddler’s birthday party in northwest suburban Huntley exploded into violence.
Four men fought over which baseball team is better—the Cubs or the White Sox.
Czapla and two other Cubs fans beat Sox fan Robert Steele to the ground and continued kicking him in the head. Steele lost his right eye and suffered a broken nose and fractured orbital bone.
Czapla was found guilty of aggravated assault and mob action. He could serve as little as 18 months if released on good behavior.
After the sentencing Steele told the Daily Herald: “Justice prevailed. I am satisfied that he’s going to prison.”
One of the other Cubs fans, Czapla’s brother Jaroslaw, pleaded guilty to mob action in 2009. He was sentenced to six months in county jail. The third Cubs fan, Maciej “Mike” Trojnar of Elmwood Park, is also charged, but is still on the loose.
Since the fight happened on Jaroslaw Czapla’s property, his homeowner’s insurance paid Steele a settlement of $100,000. A civil suit against Boguslaw Czapla is still pending.
