Legendary Yankees radio play-by-play voice John Sterling has seen just about everything a Major League Baseball broadcaster can witness. That is, until Game 4 of the 2024 World Series when he witnessed a pair of obnoxious Yankees fans interfere with a Los Angeles Dodgers player making a play in foul territory.
Sterling, who may very well be calling his final game as a Yankees broadcaster after coming out of retirement for the team’s postseason run, was not pleased with the situation.
Yankees leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres hit a fly ball near the seats in right field. Outfielder Mookie Betts raced over and was able to catch for the first out of the inning. However, a Yankees fan in the stands not only tried to catch the ball but also grabbed Betts’ glove once he had made the catch. Then, another person in the stands grabbed Betts’ hand while the fan ripped the ball out of Betts’ glove, causing it to fall onto the field.
A Yankees fan interferes with Dodgers star Mookie Betts on a flyball.
The Fox replays show the fan ripping the ball out of Betts’ glove after he makes the catch.
Joe Davis and John Smoltz provide the commentary. ⚾️🎙️ #WorldSeries #MLB pic.twitter.com/Tmg0ioz65V
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 30, 2024
It’s quite normal for fans in attendance to try to catch a foul ball, even if it does slightly impede a player on the field. But intentionally making contact with Betts and essentially fighting with him for the ball is an entirely different situation.
On the WFAN radio call, Sterling and Suzyn Waldman weren’t able to see what happened initially. But when they did, they made it a point to condemn the fans involved.
“Well, he’s got the ball and a fan took it right out of his glove,” said Waldman. “You can see it, he’s got his glove in his hand. The fan in a Yankees uniform is prying the ball out of his glove. This guy should be kicked out of this game.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said Sterling. “He’s allowed a room, that’s all. I couldn’t agree more.”
“He physically opened up Mookie’s glove as he was trying to get the glove back,” added Waldman. “You don’t want to lose your glove. And he took the ball out of his glove.”
“I’ve seen people go for baseballs before,” added Sterling. “In my 49 years of broadcasting baseball, I’ve never seen that.”
Ma & Pa Pinstripe were completely incredulous over the Yankee fan taking the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove. pic.twitter.com/4m8oFvRwrZ
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) October 30, 2024
As Sterling and Waldman alluded to, the two Yankees fans involved in this incident are watching this game somewhere else in the surrounding area following that incident. They were both escorted out of the stadium shortly after.
