Austin Capobianco, Yankee fan who interfered with Mookie Betts, 'kind of expected' getting banned for Game 5 of World Series
Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning in World Series Game 4 at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis
A pair of Yankees fans who aggressively interfered with Dodgers rightfielder Mookie Betts during Tuesday night’s Game 4 of the World Series were banned from returning to Yankee Stadium for Wednesday night’s Game 5, the team announced.
"Last night two fans were ejected from Yankee Stadium for egregious and unacceptable physical contact with Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts," the Yankees said in a statement. "The safety and security of players, fans and Stadium staff is the foundational element of every event held at Yankee Stadium, and it cannot be compromised.
"Tonight marks the final home game of year, and we want every ounce of our fans’ passion on display. Yankee Stadium is known for its energy and intensity, however the exuberance of supporting one’s team can never cross the line into intentionally putting players at physical risk.
"The Yankees and Major League Baseball maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed last night. These fans will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity.”
The Yankees announced they gave the two revoked tickets and two other tickets in the same section to 15-year-old Calvin Young, a pediatric cancer patient from Bergenfield, New Jersey, and his mother and two brothers.
From right to left, Everett Teel-Young sits with his mother, Jacquelyn Teel and brothers Calvin and Trevor, during batting practice before Game 5 of the World Series between the Dodgers and the Yankees on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. Credit: AP/Seth Wenig
The Yankees will refund the cost of the two revoked tickets to the season-ticket holder.
One of the banned fans, Austin Capobianco, 38, of Branford, Connecticut, was reached by Newsday on Wednesday afternoon.
"The banning to tonight’s game was kind of expected," Capobianco wrote in a text message. " But the fact my little brother and his friends can’t use our season tickets tonight has really [ticked] me off. It’s not like they can go to the next game."
Capobianco said he did not wish to discuss the matter further until after Game 5, which he predicted the Yankees would win.
This is insane.
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) October 30, 2024
Mookie Betts goes into the stands to catch a ball and a fan grabbed his glove and ripped the ball out.
He was just kicked out of the stadium after a half an inning.
pic.twitter.com/FkfEeJbBgG
"Today has been a very difficult day with my phone ringing non-stop and still having a responsibility at my work," he wrote.
The other fan was identified by ESPN.com as John Peter, a friend of Capobianco.
The two men on Tuesday interfered with Betts when he was attempting to catch a foul ball against the side wall in rightfield. Betts caught it as multiple fans reached out to try and catch it themselves.
Capobianco, who was wearing a gray road Yankees jersey, grabbed hold of Betts’ glove — with the ball still in it — and refused to let go. Capobianco then tried to pry open Betts’ glove.
Peter, who was wearing a pinstriped Yankees home jersey, reached over and grabbed Betts’ right hand as Capobianco ripped the ball out of Betts’ glove.
Both fans then let go. Rightfield umpire Mark Carlson immediately called out the Yankees batter, Gleyber Torres, for fan interference.
Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning of World Series Game 4. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis
Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning of World Series Game 4. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis
Fans interfere with a foul ball caught by Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts during the first inning of World Series Game 4. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Capobianco told ESPN.com he and Peter considered themselves defenders of the wall so they can help the Yankees.
"We always joke about the ball in our area," Capobianco told ESPN.com. "We're not going to go out of our way to attack. If it's in our area, we're going to 'D' up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We're willing to do this."
Yankees leftfielder Alex Verdugo, who had many verbal battles with Yankees fans when he was with the Red Sox, said of the incident: “It was maybe one of the more extreme [ones], kind of trying to rip a ball out. But at the same time, that's kind of New York. I feel like that's what you expect out here. You expect some unique things.
“At the end of the day, I didn't feel it was too serious. I think Mookie kind of shook it off, too. That's just kind of the passion, I guess, New Yorkers have.”
Betts, after Game 4, called the incident “irrelevant,” and said he was not injured.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Game 5: “There's no place for that. It's as simple as that. Come here, cheer, root for your team, whatever. No place for that. Should never have hands on anyone. Just not OK.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, also before Game 5, said: “It was just an unfortunate circumstance. I'm glad it was dealt with the right way . . . As I understand it, they got booted. We didn't need them to be here, so they refunded their tickets. So that's perfect, right?”
Players Association head Tony Clark said in a statement that the union has “been in regular contact with League security officials since [Tuesday] night’s incident and will be closely tracking both the response to that incident and the protective measures taken going forward, beginning [Wednesday].”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
