After making news for all the wrong reasons, these two New York Yankees fans will no longer see any games at Yankee Stadium or across the league anytime soon.
Dan Martin of The New York Post reported on Friday that the two fans who grabbed Mookie Betts’ wrist and tried to rip the ball out of his glove during Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers have been banned “indefinitely” from not just Yankee Stadium, but all MLB Games.
Austin Capobianco and John P. Hansen were both ejected shortly after the uncalled for encounter with the Dodgers’ outfielder and were banned from attending Game 5 which would eventually turn out to be the final major league baseball game of the year.
Following this incident, the Yankees called the fans’ actions “egregious and unacceptable” and later 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.”
Martin is also reporting that both Capobianco and Hansen were using the seats of a season-ticket holder who has owned the tickets since 1990 but since he was not in attendance, he will not be punished and will be allowed to keep the seats.
The season-ticket holder is reportedly supportive of the decision by the league to bar both fans from attending any more games across the league.
The Post also obtained a letter from an MLB official that was sent to the fans which stated: “Your conduct posed a serious risk to the health and safety of the player and went far over the line of acceptable fan behavior. Based on your conduct, Major League Baseball is banning you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices and other facilities.”
The letter also stated that if the banned fans are seen near or at any MLB property or event, they will be removed from the premises and possibly arrested.
Martin went on to add that the decision to ban Capobianco and Hansen was a joint decision by both MLB and the Yankees with the league going even further to ban both the fans from all venues across the league.
