White Sox Fan Takes One for the Team; Loses Eye in Rivalry Brawl

A Chicago White Sox fan lost an eye when he was allegedly beaten by Cubs fans.

ByABC News
July 29, 2008, 10:04 AM

July 29, 2008— -- HUNTLEY, Ill. (AP) -- Three Chicago Cubs fans face felony charges after allegedly beating a Chicago White Sox fan so badly at a child's birthday party that he lost his eye, McHenry County authorities said Monday.

Robert Steele, 32, of Gurnee told The (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald that he went to the Sesame Street-themed party for his fiancee's 2-year-old niece on July 19, where the three men allegedly started teasing Steele that White Sox fans had missing teeth.

"We were going to leave, but they convinced us that they were just joking around," said Steele's fiancee, April Bieze.

The taunting got worse and more personal as the men drank vodka and beer and it escalated into a physical fight that involved all four men, Bieze said.

Steele's nose and orbital bone were broken and he lost his right eye after getting kicked in the face with a steel-toed boot, authorities said. He has been released after spending several days at an Elgin hospital.

Boguslaw "Bob" Czapla, 37, of Elmwood Park was charged with mob action and aggravated battery. His brother, Jaroslaw "Jerry" Czapla, 31, of Huntley and Maciej "Mike" Trojnar, 33, of Elmwood Park were charged with mob action and battery, said Huntley Deputy Police Chief Todd Fulton.

Trojnar was at large with a warrant issued for his arrest, Fulton said. The Czapla brothers were free on bond.

Jaroslaw Czapla's number was unlisted. There were no listings for Boguslaw Czapla or Trojnar.

Steele said he will be fitted for a glass eye and need more surgeries.

"Any mirrors I go by, I don't look in the mirror," Steele said. "I don't want that to affect me, to see myself like that."