Overzealous Yankees Fan Spawns Memes After Viral Ball-Stealing Moment
Last night's World Series game between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers featured a confrontational moment involving Dodgers star Mookie Betts—though not with another player. An excited Yankees fan, with the help of his friend next to him, tried to pry a ball out of Betts' mitt in the outfield. Naturally, social media had a field day making light of the moment.
It all happened in the bottom of the first inning. Betts caught the ball against the outfield wall and a Yankees fan in the front row reached over into the player's mitt to try and pull it out for himself. When Betts tried to fight back, another fan grabbed the player's arm to let his friend grab a hold of the ball. Eventually, it flew back onto the field, resulting in an out due to fan interference and a scuffle that was for naught.
"Well, A for effort."
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
Fan interference was called on this play where a Yankee fan tried to take the ball out of Mookie Betts' glove after an out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd
It wasn't long before X users began making jokes about the moment. One person compared the fan's actions to "trying to get the tennis ball out of my dog's mouth," while another quipped it was like "when my girlfriend's dog starts eating something they're not supposed to."
trying to get the tennis ball out of my dog’s mouth pic.twitter.com/CWmmHJsljQ
— parker hageman (@HagemanParker) October 30, 2024
When my gf’s dog starts eating something they’re not supposed too pic.twitter.com/RHhE2Ho48S
— Michael Walchalk (@MichaelWalchalk) October 30, 2024
"homer, are you just holding onto the glove?"
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 30, 2024
"your point being?" pic.twitter.com/1pLHTEuFlY
Trying to quietly open a bag chips in a movie theater. pic.twitter.com/zgzXXJtjQB
— Robert Daniels (@812filmreviews) October 30, 2024
How it feels paying for parking at The Americana: pic.twitter.com/Ellm38iE58
— Americana at Brand Memes (@americanamemes) October 30, 2024
The Republican post-election plan: pic.twitter.com/qOikX2d8B1
— Henry Burke (@burkehenryt) October 30, 2024
Some users felt the fan's move "has such Tim Robinson character energy"; one posted a photo of the fan in action along with a photo of the former Saturday Night Live star.
I can’t explain it but he has such Tim Robinson character energy… pic.twitter.com/tZ6vreGuTl
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) October 30, 2024
— dang laser (@youranalogbuddy) October 30, 2024
The two fans, one of whom is a Yankees season ticket holder, were promptly ejected from the game and banned from the next game. Comedian and former The Daily Show fixture Roy Wood Jr. said it was "Wild to pay top dollar to sit this close then do some s--t like this to get yourself tossed."
Wild to pay top dollar to sit this close then do some shit like this to get ya self tossed. pic.twitter.com/ZmLDvdrFEH
— Roy Wood Jr- Ex Jedi (@roywoodjr) October 30, 2024
According to USA Today, the Yankees are barring season ticket holder Austin Capobianco and his friend John Peter from attending Game 5.
"The Yankees and Major League Baseball maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed last night," the Yankees said in a statement, calling it "egregious and unacceptable" conduct. "These fans will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity.”
In the end, the Yankees came out victorious and shut out the Dodgers from sweeping the Series. Game 5 kicks off today at 8:08 p.m. ET.