While warming up at the bottom of the fifth inning in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays in August 1983, New York Yankees left fielder Dave Winfield threw a ball - and hit a sea gull which was waddling along near the Yankees dugout. His feat was met with a chorus of boos from Toronto fans.
Despite protesting his innocence, Winfield was arrested, charged with "willfully causing unnecessary cruelty to animals," and required to post a $500 bond before leaving Canada.
Among his supporters was Yankees manager Billy Martin. "They say Winfield hit that bird on purpose," he remarked. "They wouldn't say that if they saw some of the throws he's been making all year!"
Of course nothing compares to the time a dove flew into the path of a Randy Johnson 95 mph fastball. Poof!
What are the odds of that happening? It couldn't have been a thrown ball from someone like Tim Wakefield. No it had to be from one of the hardest throwers of all time... Talk about your bad luck.
