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In Game 4 of the 2024 World Series, a New York Yankees fan rose to infamy after grabbing Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts' glove as he attempted to make a catch. That fan, Austin Capobianco, has lived with a dark cloud over his head since the incident.
Since Capobianco was outed as the person who interfered with Betts, he and his family have been receiving endless hate phone calls. Someone even sent a box of literal poop to Capobianco's parents doorstep. The 38-year-old never thought his world would be turned upside down like this, via Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
“All the stuff my family has had to deal with because of me,” Capobianco said. “The nonstop phone calls. The people sending me pictures of their ugly looking penises. The packages.”
Capbianco went on to admit that he wishes his interaction with Betts never happened. In the end, his Yankees ended up falling to the Dodgers in the World Series anyway.
“Guys, you won the World Series,” Capobianco said. “Leave me alone.”
MLB took swift action against the 38-year-old and another fan involved named John Hansen. They've both been barred from attending any major league games or events for the foreseeable future. Capobiano understands the decision, but he is hopeful to someday return to Yankee Stadium.
“I'm a good dude who did a dumb thing on camera,” he admitted.
Austin Capobianco will now live on in Yankees lore, for better or worse. His action captivated a major debate throughout sports over fan behavior during games. But Capobianco doesn't want to be the face of a movement or even remembered for his World Series incident. In the end, he's hopeful this event gets forgotten over time, and he can go back to just being a regular Yankees fan.
“I'm a hero in Yankees land. I'm a villain in America,” Capobianco said. “I don't really care. I just want to be forgotten about. That's it. I want people to forget about me.”
