Near Tragedy at Triple-A Minor League Ball Game

[Ralph]

Seagull is hit by pitch
6/7/2006, 9:08 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Seagulls shouldn't fly between Bisons and Bulls. One of the birds found that out during last Sunday's Triple-A minor league game between the Buffalo Bisons and the Durham Bulls. The Bisons were batting in the bottom of the eleventh when a seagull flew between the pitcher's mound and home plate just as Durham's pitcher released the ball.

The ball hit the bird. The batter swung at the ball and missed. The ball got away from the catcher. Since it was a third strike, the batter ran to first but was thrown out by the catcher to end the inning.

Meanwhile, the stunned bird lay on the ground in front of home plate.

While the umpires convened to discuss the bizarre play, a Buffalo player carried the seagull off the field. The bird later flew away.

The umps ruled that play should have stopped the moment the ball hit the bird. Durham was sent back on to the field, and the Buffalo batter returned to the plate to finish his at-bat.

[Corlyss_D]

We can put that one in the rule book.

[jbuck919]

We can put that one in the rule book.

I imagine there was already a rule about interference. This was rarer than an unassisted triple play, but not much.

[Haydnseek]

Reminds me of another incident involving Dave Winfield:

"On August 4, 1983, Winfield, while warming up before the 5th inning of a game at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium, accidentally killed a seagull with a thrown ball. He doffed his cap in mock sorrow. Fans responded by hurling obscenties and improvised missiles. After the game, he was brought to the Ontario Provincial Police station on charges of cruelty to animals and was forced to post a $500 bond before being released. Quipped Yankees manager Billy Martin, "It's the first time he's hit the cutoff man." The charges were dropped the following day. For years afterward Winfield's appearances in Toronto were greeted with loud choruses of boos, but he later became a fan favorite."

(source: Wikipedia)