PHOENIX — A man who was banned from Game 5 of the World Series after prying Mookie Betts' glove open to try and get a ball was a hockey player at the University of Arizona and friends with Rob Gronkowski, the Arizona football legend told a podcaster Wednesday.
Gronk revealed his connection to Yankees fan Austin Capobianco, who was a previous captain for Arizona's men's club hockey team, to Kay Adams on the Up and Adams podcast, which he then posted on X.
"Austin was a college friend. Very passionate about the teams he represents. Will do anything for them. A menace, wild boy as well, he is the person that undoubtedly would say he would do that then actually do it. Maniac status since college has been confirmed," Gronk wrote.
Capobianco is seen on video grabbing Betts’ glove with both hands and pulling the ball out after Betts caught a fly ball. Another fan grabbed Betts’ bare hand. The fans involved were season ticket holders, the team told the Associated Press. Their Game 5 tickets were given to Calvin Young, a pediatric cancer patient who lives in New Jersey, and his family, AP reported.
The Major League Baseball Players Association also expressed concern about player safety and security, the AP reported.
“As with every incident at the ballpark that affects players, we have been in regular contact with league security officials since last night’s incident and will be closely tracking both the response to that incident and the protective measures taken going forward, beginning tonight,” the union said in a statement.
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