As the sports world reacted to a bizarre moment of interference committed by a pair of Yankees fans during Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday, Rob Gronkowski saw it from a different angle.
Gronkowski recognized one of the two fans as a friend from college. Both were thrown out of Yankee Stadium following their attempt to pry a baseball out of Dodger outfielder Mookie Betts’s glove.
Speaking during a Wednesday appearance on “Up & Adams” the day after New York’s 11-4 win, Gronkowski shocked host Kay Adams with his admission.
“This is actually the first time I’m seeing this live, and here’s a little fun fact: That guy right there grabbing Mookie Betts’ glove was my friend in college,” Gronkowski revealed.
OF COURSE Gronk was college friends with the #Yankees fan who interfered with Mookie Betts glove last night 😭🔊
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 30, 2024
"He's a beauty. I just wanna say congratulations for SHINING when your moment came."@RobGronkowski @heykayadams @Yankees pic.twitter.com/dqRPpI1job
Noting that the fan, Austin Capobianco, attended the University of Arizona at the same time as he did, Gronkowski explained that Capobianco was a member of the college’s club ice hockey team.
Referring to the club hockey team as “absolute maniacs” and saying that Capobianco was a “fun dude,” Gronkowski tried to provide context for his former college peer’s behavior on Tuesday.
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“Him doing that represents him very well. I mean he is all-in for his teams,” Gronkowski explained. “He is all-in for the Yankees. I remember him talking about the Yankees all the time, how he loves them so much. That describes him perfectly: Just doing whatever it takes to help his team out.
“He is a beauty,” Gronkowski added, “and I just want to say congratulations to him for shining when your moment came.”
Adams pushed back, pressing Gronkowski on if he felt what Capobianco and fellow Yankee fan John Peter had done to Betts was acceptable.
“I’m not saying it’s OK,” Gronkowski clarified, later adding that he felt the interference was “definitely unacceptable in the world of sports.”
“But when you’re that big of a fan,” Gronkowski admitted, “that’s what fans do.”
Capobianco and Peter were ejected following the incident and were not allowed back for Wednesday night’s Game 5, which the Dodgers won, 7-6, for their eighth World Series title.
“The Yankees and Major League Baseball maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed last night,” the Yankees said in a statement, per The New York Post. “These fans will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity.”
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"Well, A for effort."
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
Fan interference was called on this play where a Yankee fan tried to take the ball out of Mookie Betts' glove after an out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd
Hayden Bird can be reached at hayden.bird@globe.com.