Published
2 weeks agoon
By
Luna Wilder
In an unlikely turn of events, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen accidentally struck and killed a bird during a pre-game warm-up, when his curveball hit the bird in mid-flight.
Zac Gallen has joined Randy Johnson in the exclusive club of…
…hitting a bird with a pitch 🤯 pic.twitter.com/7E8SuITbbh— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) May 17, 2023
This unusual incident, captured on video, isn’t the first of its kind for the team; in 2001, Diamondbacks pitcher and Hall of Famer Randy Johnson similarly hit a bird with a fastball in a game against the New York Yankees.
These two occurrences are the only known instances in Major League Baseball history of a bird being killed by a pitch.
Although such tragic incidents involving birds are rare, there are numerous lighter stories of animal interference in sporting events.
For example, a game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers was interrupted when a goose got loose on the field, leading the grounds crew on a comedic chase.
Similarly, in 2021, two separate incidents of animal invasions occurred on the same day during different games.
In a game at Yankees Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles, a wandering cat caused a halt in play, while in Washington D.C., a praying mantis chose to perch atop the baseball cap of Nationals player Victor Robles during a game against the Phillies.