Mookie Betts made the catch in Game 4 of the World Series last October. And this week, Major League Baseball banned New York Yankees fans who tried to interfere with it for good.
Three months after Betts had his glove and arm grabbed by two spectators at Yankee Stadium during last year’s Fall Classic, MLB decided to indefinitely ban fans from all games.
The fans, Austin Capobianco and John P. Hansen, were informed of the decision in a letter from the league obtained by the Times, which said in part:
“Your conduct posed a serious risk to the health and safety of the player and went well beyond the line of acceptable fan behavior. As a result of your conduct, Major League Baseball has banned you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices and other facilities. You are also prohibited indefinitely from attending any event sponsored or associated with MLB.
The ban, which was first reported by the New York Post on Friday, ends one of the most unusual subplots of last year’s World Series, one that left Betts and his Dodgers teammates were furious after fans deliberately attempted to try and knock the ball off Betts’ glove in the first inning of Game 4 — in a potentially dangerous moment with Betts jumping against the wall in foul territory.
Betts was able to complete the catch, even as one fan dug in his glove while the other grabbed his throwing arm. Betts reacted angrily toward the two men, who were quickly ejected from the game and barred from attending the Dodgers’ title victory in Game 5 the following night.
According to MLB’s letter, neither fan will now be allowed into future MLB games, with the league warning them that “if you are discovered on any MLB property or event, you will be removed from the premises and subject to arrest for trespassing. »
Immediately after the incident, Capobianco told ESPN that fans planned to interfere with the game if a ball came into their zone, in the first row of seats on the right-field foul line.
“We always joke about the ball in our zone,” he told ESPN on game night. “If it’s in our area, we’ll move up to ‘D’. Someone defends, someone hits the ball. We talk about it. We are ready to do it.
The next day, Capobianco showed even more remorse in the Times commentsacknowledging that “I’m an overly passionate fan who probably crossed the finish line last night.”
“He is so good and the play he made was impressive,” Capobianco added. “The juice and desperation of the World Series kicked in and this was the result.”
Now neither he nor Hansen will have the opportunity to intervene in this way again.
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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
