The Most Controversial Fan Interferences in Baseball
In baseball, the fans sit very close to the field of play. So close that fans have interfered with the games by touching the players or the ball in play. Fans will even bring their gloves to try to catch a souvenir baseball. In other sports, like basketball, the fans do sit close to the action, but not close to the hoop. Whereas in baseball, the fans can be inches away from a ball, which could be a home run.
“We usually do not eject fans for fan interference; the stadium management has their own policies for that,” said Dale Scott, a former MLB umpire and author of “The Umpire Is Out: Calling the Game and Living My True Self.” “We would really only eject fans for verbally abusing players.”
This list has some of the most controversial fan interferences in Major League Baseball that have changed the outcomes of games, playoff series, and even who goes to the World Series.
- Derek Jeter’s home run gets help from a fan in the 1996 ALCS.
In game one of the 1996 ALCS, Derek Jeter of the Yankees hit a long fly ball to right field that looked like it was going to be caught by Tony Tarasco of the Orioles. The ball was then snatched right before Tarasco could catch it by a fan named Jeffery Maier in the stands.
The umpire ruled it a home run with no fan interference, and the Yankees went on to win the game by one run. Scott was one of the umpires on that crew for that series.
“Fan interference does not happen that often, but it seems to happen in huge games,” said Scott. “I was on the field when Jeffery Maier interfered, well it wasn’t called interference at Yankee Stadium in the 1996 ALCS.”
- Steve Bartman’s Curse of 2003 NLCS.
Steve Bartman has had to question his safety after he interfered with a game at Wrigley Field 22 years ago. During the 2003 postseason, the Chicago Cubs were only five outs away from reaching their first World Series since 1945.
In the eighth inning of game six, Luis Castillo of the Marlins hit a ball foul down the left field line. Moisés Alou, playing outfield for the Cubs, went to catch the ball, but it was tipped by Bartman. The action happened outside the field of play, meaning no fan interference needed to be called. The field of play is anywhere inside the fences, so if a ball is over the fence — even if it has not landed — it is out of play and is fair game for the fans.
The Marlins went on to score eight runs and win game six to force a game seven, where they punched their ticket to the World Series. Steve Bartman has not returned to Wrigley Field, according to The New York Times.
- Mookie Betts interfered in the 2018 ALCS.
In the first inning of game four, Betts, playing outfield for the Red Sox, was a part of a fan interference call that changed the game. Jose Altuve of the Astros hit a deep fly ball that was going to be a home run. Then, Betts timed his jump, and it looked like he was going to rob the home run until a fan who was also going for the ball inadvertently closed Betts’ glove, making him unable to catch it.
The umpire noticed it and made the call of interference, it was taken to a review, and the out call was confirmed. That play could have been a three-run home run for the Astros was an out because of a fan. The Astros went on to lose the game by two runs.
Fans have interfered with other sports, but baseball seems to have the most instances where a fan plays a role in the outcome of a game. The biggest reason for this is that even if the ball is in foul territory or over the wall, the defense has a chance to make a play. Unlike other sports, when the ball goes out of bounds, the play is over.
- Mookie Betts gets grabbed by two fans in the 2024 World Series.
In the first inning of game four, Gleyber Torres of the Yankees hit a foul ball down the right field line that was headed for the wall. Betts, playing outfield for the Dodgers, jumped up and caught the ball. At the same time, one fan grabbed his left arm and pried his glove open to knock the ball out, while another fan grabbed Betts’ right arm and held him against the wall.
It counted as a catch, and Torres was out, thanks to a rule that says the umpire should determine what would happen had a fan not interfered.
“The rule is that if a player reaches into the fans, he is free game. Frankly, a fan can do whatever they want,” said Scott. The fans were still kicked out of Yankee Stadium for the remainder of the game, and they were also banned from all MLB stadiums, according to the MLB.
