Last night, during the World Series game between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, there was a moment of conflict involving Dodgers star Mookie Betts, but no other players. An excited Yankees fan tried to remove the ball from Betts' glove off the field with the help of his friend. Naturally, social media had a field day highlighting 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 tried to reach for the player's glove and remove the ball himself. When Betts tried to fight back, another fan grabbed the player's arm, allowing his friend to catch the ball. He eventually flew back onto the field and was ruled out of the game due to fan interference and a futile brawl.
"Well, A for effort."
Fan interference was called for on this play when a Yankee fan attempted to remove the ball from Mookie Betts' glove after he went out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
It wasn't long before X users started making jokes about the moment. One person compared the fan's actions to “trying to get a tennis ball out of my dog's mouth,” while another humorously interpreted it as “when my girlfriend's dog starts eating something it shouldn't.”
I'm trying to get the tennis ball out of my dog's mouth. pic.twitter.com/CWmmHJsljQ
— Parker Hageman (@HagemanParker) October 30, 2024
And when my girlfriend's dog starts eating something it shouldn't pic.twitter.com/RHhE2Ho48S
— Michael Walchalk (@MichaelWalchalk) October 30, 2024
"Homer, are you holding the glove?"
"What is your purpose?" pic.twitter.com/1pLHTEuFlY— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 30, 2024
I'm quietly trying to open a bag of chips in the cinema. pic.twitter.com/zgzXXJtjQB
— Robert Daniels (@812filmreviews) October 30, 2024
What it's like to pay for parking at The Americana: pic.twitter.com/Ellm38iE58
— Americana at Brand Memes (@americananamemes) October 30, 2024
Republicans' post-election plan: pic.twitter.com/qOikX2d8B1
— Henry Burke (@burkehenryt) October 30, 2024
Some users felt that the fan's gesture “had a Tim Robinson character energy”; Someone 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 there is such a Tim Robinson character energy… pic.twitter.com/tZ6vreGuTl
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) October 30, 2024
— dang laser (@youranalogbuddy) October 30, 2024
Two fans, one of whom was a Yankees season ticket holder, were immediately ejected from the game and banned from the next game. Comedian and former Daily Show fixture Roy Wood Jr. said, “It's crazy to pay top dollar to sit so close and then do things like that to throw yourself out.”
It's crazy to pay top dollar to live this close and then do things like this just to throw yourself away. pic.twitter.com/ZmLDvdrFEH
— Roy Wood Jr- Old Jedi (@roywoodjr) October 30, 2024
Accordingly USA TodayYankees ban 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 towards the type of behavior exhibited last night,” the Yankees said in a statement, calling it “egregious and unacceptable” conduct. “These fans will not be allowed to attend tonight's game in any way.”
In the end, the Yankees prevailed and prevented the Dodgers from sweeping the Series. Game 5 will start today at 20:08 ET.