Yankees Fans Face Letdown in Inaviagation of Fan Interference
A Momentary Glimmer of Hope
Yankees fans thought they had another Jeffrey Maier situation. Google him if you’re too young to remember that controversial Derek Jeter home run in the 1996 American League Championship Series. This time, however, it wasn’t a Yankees fan who was trying to help the team.
Fan’s Reach Proves Futile
A Dodgers fan seated in the outfield reached over the fence and caught a fly ball hit by Gleyber Torres. A fan reached over the fence on this hit by Gleyber Torres resulting in a fan interference call pic.twitter.com/67dm8hrhqm — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2024
Fan Interference Calls the Play
What momentarily appeared to be a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning was instead ruled fan interference by the umpires. That put the go-ahead run on second base with two outs. Juan Soto was then intentionally walked, putting two on for Aaron Judge. Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen entered and got Judge to pop up to third and end the inning.
A Familiar Feeling for Yankees Fans
The moment harkened back to a moment in the 1996 American League Championship Series, when the Yankees were taking on the Baltimore Orioles. The Bombers were down 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Derek Jeter hit a long fly ball to right field.
A Familiar, Fancied Controversy
Maier, a 12-year-old boy, was in the front row and stuck his glove out over the right fielder and caught the ball, which should have been ruled fan interference. Instead, the umpire ruled it was not interference, and Jeter’s game-tying home run stood, much to the chagrin (and protest) of the Orioles.
Conclusion
In the end, the Yankees came up short, and the go-ahead run was nullified due to fan interference. While the moment may have brought back memories of the 1996 ALCS, it ultimately did not yield the desired result for the Yankees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is fan interference in baseball?
A: Fan interference occurs when a spectator in the playing field affects the play of the game, either by touching the ball or otherwise interfering with the ball in play.
Q: How is fan interference determined in baseball?
A: The umpires are responsible for determining whether fan interference has occurred. If they deem that fan interference has affected the play, they can call the play dead and nullify the action.
Q: Was Jeffrey Maier’s catch in the 1996 ALCS interference?
A: No, the umpire ruled that Maier’s catch was not interference, and the play stood. However, many argue that the call was incorrect and that the game should have been continued with a less dramatic finish.
