Published with permission by S. Gallus
Can a squirrel score a touchdown? Does it count against you if a seagull tries to steal your golf ball? There have been lots of instances where animals have stolen the attention away from the players at sporting events. Hilarious and sometimes enraging, these moments make the game more memorable for both the fans and the players.
Cat falls from the upper deck of Hard Rock stadium: Sep. 11, 2021
The Miami Hurricanes college football team garnered national attention not for the plays they made during their game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, but because a cat was hanging on to an electrical cable for dear life in the stands. Fans watched in terror as the cat dangled, hanging on only with its front paws, until finally it fell. Fans below the cat, luckily, had a large cloth American flag that they outstretched, and against seemingly all odds, they caught the cat and heroically lifted it for all the fans to see. The catch was even noted by the play-by-play announcer for the game. The cat, dubbed Mufasa due to its fall, sparked many jokes both at the game and on the internet in the days following.
Game delayed by a swarm of bees: May 6, 2019
A swarm of thousands of bees delayed a baseball game between the Reds and the Giants. Local beekeepers suspected that the swarm must have had a hive somewhere in the stadium and were looking to expand. Several guests and players were stung before officials delayed the game and called in workers to extract the bees, which had set up a hive near home base. Strangely enough, this wasn’t the first Reds versus Giants game that was delayed by swarms of bees. According to the Associated Press, in 1976, thousands of bees had to be removed from the stadium during a game between the two teams.
Squirrel scores a touchdown: Sep. 23, 2017
A squirrel made history after it ran across the football field and into the touchdown zone. The squirrel made a 40-yard dash during the Louisville versus Kent State football game and clung to the grass in the end zone while both players and fans cheered for its success. After scoring the touchdown the squirrel was removed from the field, but it has sparked one of the more popular moments in video where animals have stolen attention away from the game.
Seagull mistakes a golf ball for food: Aug. 22, 2021
The 2021 Women’s British Open was held at a seaside golf course that was created in the 1800’s. During the game, however, there were quite a few unexpected players on the course, including multiple seagulls swooping overhead. One went as far as to attempt to steal the golf ball from player Madelene Sagström. Many watched in awe as the bird attempted to lift the golf ball into its mouth. While it was ultimately unsuccessful and flew away, it did provide a laugh for everyone watching.
