By David Waldstein
When Jeff Maier snagged Derek Jeter’s home-run ball in the 1996 playoffs — actually pulling a fly ball from the grasp of a Baltimore Orioles outfielder — he instantly became a bit of a local hero. The next day, he was invited to David Letterman’s show, but he turned it down, preferring to attend the next Yankees game over an appearance on a late-night TV program.
Fast forward twenty-eight years, Austin Capobianco and a companion found themselves infamous for their involvement in a batted ball interference in a notably aggressive manner. This incident occurred during Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday when they attempted to wrest the ball from the glove of Mookie Betts, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In contrast to Maier, who was allowed to stay for the game, Capobianco and his friend were ejected and forbidden by the Yankees from attending Game 5 on Wednesday night. Remarkably, this was the second case of fan interference during this year’s World Series, as Yankees radio announcer John Sterling puts it, that’s just baseball.
Baseball is unique among sports, allowing spectators to reach into the playing area from their seats. Fans are typically warned against this during pregame announcements, but occasionally, raw emotion eclipses rational thought.
“I comprehend the instinctive reaction when a fly ball heads toward the stands,” Maier stated during a phone interview on Wednesday. “However, I struggle to understand the act of grabbing a ball that’s within the glove and physically engaging with the player. That’s a line you don’t cross.”
In sports like football and soccer, fans are usually too distanced from the action to interfere. Hockey spectators are protected by thick plexiglass barriers. Though basketball and tennis fans may have instances where they can reach players, it doesn’t occur as often as in baseball, where seating is right next to the field. While securing a home-run or foul ball is a cherished pastime, fans are generally expected to wait for the ball to come to them after it clears the wall. If it does, it’s fair game — although it doesn’t always end with a pleasant keepsake.
In 2003, a fan was vilified at Wrigley Field for attempting to catch a foul ball that was out of play during the National League Championship Series. Moisés Alou, the outfielder for the Cubs, reached over the wall and got entangled with the fan, Steve Bartman, failing to secure the catch.
Other spectators savagely blamed Bartman for diminishing Alou’s chances to score. He had to be escorted out, facing threats and insults, and quickly went into hiding. More than two decades on, Bartman still refrains from discussing the matter publicly.
“That was more a situation of player interference,” Maier remarked in support of Bartman.
“Fan interference,” as defined by game regulations, is a common occurrence. However, it seldom escalates beyond an unintentional bump between a spectators and a player. The incident during Tuesday’s Yankees-Dodgers game, which saw New York triumph 11-4, was distinctly different.
In the first inning of Game 4, Gleyber Torres of the Yankees struck a foul ball down the right-field line. Capobianco, a season-ticket holder, and his friend, identified by ESPN as John Peter, were stationed at the protective barrier along the right-field line when they, like many fans, reached for the ball. However, Betts arrived first, leaping at the wall with his left arm extended.
Capobianco tugged at Betts’ glove, attempting to pry it open, while Peter grasped Betts’ other wrist. In a brief struggle, the ball dislodged and fell onto the field. The umpire on the foul line immediately indicated fan interference, resulting in Torres being declared out. The two supporters were then removed from the stadium for interfering with play, exchanging high-fives with other Yankees fans on their way out.
The Yankees issued a statement confirming the duo’s exclusion from future games, stating that the men had engaged in “egregious and unacceptable physical contact” with Betts.
When contacted on Wednesday, Capobianco declined to elaborate, expressing disappointment that his younger brother and friends could not utilize their Game 5 tickets. It remains unclear if the ban will extend beyond this season.
As reported by ESPN, Capobianco mentioned that he and his friend had fantasized about executing precisely what they did.
“We always joke about the ball in our area,” he told ESPN. “We’re not going to overly pursue it. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up. One person defends, and the other knocks the ball away.”
Betts remarked after the game that he held no ill will toward the fans, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted on Wednesday that the incident had not caused Betts to feel unsafe for Game 5, which the Dodgers won, 7-6, securing their eighth World Series title.
“It was merely an unfortunate event that was handled appropriately,” Roberts commented.
Frequently, when a fan disrupts a crucial baseball game — especially at Yankee Stadium — comparisons arise with Maier. However, that incident diverged in several aspects. A Yankee, Derek Jeter, was the batter, and he sent a ball deep into right field at Yankee Stadium. Maier reached over the wall and caught it while Orioles outfielder, Tony Tarasco, was positioned below, ready to make the catch.
At the time, video replay was not available, so the umpire Rich Garcia’s home-run call prevailed — no fan interference — and the Yankees proceeded to win that game, the American League Championship Series, and ultimately the World Series. It was the first of four titles they secured between 1996 and 2000.
Maier, who played a minor role in that narrative, eventually played baseball at Wesleyan University. Now 40, he resides in New Hampshire and works in generative artificial intelligence tech security. He remains a devoted Yankees fan, but he missed the foul-ball incident on Tuesday night while putting one of his sons to bed.
He mentioned that there’s no parity between his actions and those taking place during that game.
“There must be a safe environment for them to play,” he stated. “I comprehend the emotional intensity and passion fans possess. However, a certain level of decorum and expectations must be established.”
“Admittedly,” he concluded, “people probably don’t want to hear that from me.”
Maier recounted that during a Boston Red Sox-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium in 2018, Betts, then with the Red Sox, threw a ball to Maier’s son Braden.
“Obviously, I’m cheering for the Yankees,” Maier commented. “But Betts strikes me as a genuinely good guy.”
MLB PLAYOFFS
World Series (Best of 7)
Last Friday’s Game 1
Los Angeles Dodgers 6, New York Yankees 3
Saturday’s Game 2
Dodgers 4, Yankees 2
Monday’s Game 3
Dodgers 4, Yankees 2
Tuesday’s Game 4
Yankees 11, Dodgers 4
Wednesday’s Game 5
Dodgers 7, Yankees 6 (Dodgers win series 4-1)
