Famous ballhawk watched Yankees fan interfere with HR: ‘You’re not bigger than the game’

Section 135 in Yankee Stadium erupted as Yankees fans celebrated what they believed to be a game-winning, two-run home run by Anthony Volpe in the sixth inning of Game 3 of the ALDS against the Rays on Wednesday night. Volpe's fly ball seemed to sail into the first row above the glove of Rays left fielder Victor Mesa Jr. However, famed ballhawk Zack Hample, seated in the back row beside the entranceway, was uncertain.

From his vantage point, Hample couldn't determine if the would-be home run cleared the left-field wall. As replay footage flashed on the Jumbotron, showing a fan in a blue jacket reaching beyond the wall and making contact with the ball, Hample swiftly retreated, fearing a deluge of beers. He had experienced similar incidents before, having caught 106 in-game homers and over 13,000 baseballs.

After the play was overturned and scored an RBI double, Hample declared, "Obvious fan interference. Bring your gloves. Learn how to catch. Don't reach over the wall!" The overturned call led to Rays reliever Griffin Jax pitching a perfect inning, resulting in a 4-3 victory for the Rays and their elimination of the Yankees. Security promptly ejected the fan who interfered, citing the league's policy to eject any spectator who interferes with a ball in play.

MLB confirmed the decision, stating that the ball would not have left the playing field nor been caught, thus overturning the home run and crediting the Replay Official for the correct call.