The sports are amazing. The animals are amazing. When you mix two, it’s incredible – sometimes.
Golfers and patrons had the front row experience in the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday when snakes confused the contest.
The snake has gone through the course – it appears to be a target before the ball passes by.
This was not the first time an animal had stopped playing during a sporting event. There was a time when a sportswriter dog ran to the field and interrupted a Georgia soccer game. And San Antonio appears to have as many bat encounters as “Dracula.”
In honor of these amazing incidents, let’s take a look back at some of the other top animal field moments.
What: Bunny
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
When: 2025
During a college baseball game at L. Dale Mitchell Park on Thursday when Bunny disrupts the contest.
Two outs were at the top of the four innings, and a bunny appeared on the third base side. The animals began to run around behind the home plate before quickly exiting towards the bullpen.
0:56
Bunny flies around the field causing delays in Texas Oklahoma
Between Texas and Oklahoma, play is temporarily suspended as a bunny hop around the field.
Contents: Squirrel
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
When: 2024
Ole Miss and Oklahoma were interrupted during an SEC meeting at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium by squirrels who confused the game.
Towards the end of the first quarter, Squirrel scored the field on the 17-yard line before running into the end zone for a touchdown and entered the tunnel away from action.
🚨Squirrel delay@memissfb x📺 @espn pic.twitter.com/m4yjkcn0xi
– Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 26, 2024
What: Insects
Location: New York City
When: 2024
Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov had front row experience during the quarterfinal match at the 2024 US Open, when insects disrupt the contest.
Tearfoe pointed out a black insect between the dead balls as the boys on the ball sprinted onto the court and spent about 30 seconds trying to lock them in with their hands before the match resumed.
Not all heroes wear capes! pic.twitter.com/mzq0jmryjj
– We are open tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2024
Contents: Raccoon
Location: Chester, Pennsylvania
When: 2024
The Philadelphia Union and New York City FC had friendly creatures that caused a short stop at Subaru Park in Philadelphia.
In the middle of the first half, the raccoon took a walk into the field. Now avoiding workers who tried to remove it. However, 161 seconds later, the raccoon was off the field.
0:18
Raccoons enter the field between Union vs NYCFC
MLS’s Philadelphia Union vs New York City FC game is stopped as the raccoon runs on the field.
Contents: Turtle
Location: Bradenton, Florida
When: 2024
The Bradenton Maurers, a minor league affiliate for the Pittsburgh Pirates, were midway through their match when the Turtle caused a short stop. The surprisingly fast reptile wandered a bit through the outfield before pitcher Magdiel Cott safely removed it from play.
“Is it a squirrel? Or a rodent?… it’s a turtle!”
Curious creatures dash madly through grass outdoors @stluciemets/@the_marauders Action 🐢 pic.twitter.com/rlh3ujcaje
– Minor League Baseball (@milb) May 11, 2024
What: Bee
Location: Chasefield, Arizona
When: 2024
Ahead of the Los Angeles match against the Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks received several surprise visitors behind the home plate – honeybees.
According to Diamondbacks, a colony formed in the protective net behind the home plate, resulting in a delay of 1 hour and 55 minutes.
The Diamondbacks had to call beekeeper Matt Hilton from the Blue Sky Plague Control.
Hilton said he was at his son’s T-ball game when he received the call. He didn’t know that after caring for the bees he would soon become a fan favorite.
“I thought I was here to take care of the bee problem, but people were pretty hyped.” Hilton told MLB Network.
Hilton also dumped the ritual first pitch.
What: Cat
Location: Angel Stadium, California
When: 2024
There’s something about the last day of April and the diamond animals.
The same night, the Diamondbacks were dealing with bees, the Los Angeles Angels and the Philadelphia Phillies received a surprise visit from the cat.
And then the Larry Cat was born 😸 @markguicza @waynerandazzo@Angels l #RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/raym7c0rqe
– Bally Sports West (@ballysportwest) May 1, 2024
At the seventh bottom, the cat sprinted and landed in the Phillies dugout. Thankfully, as the broadcaster pointed out, it wasn’t a black cat.
Contents: Squirrel
Location: Yankees Stadium, New York
Time: 2023
At the beginning of the 2023 season, Squirrel was faithfully surprised when Yankee Stadium ran through the outfield wall.
Squirrel sightings in the Bronx
(via @mlb))pic.twitter.com/liksirtva7
– Sports Center (@sportscenter) May 24, 2023
Fortunately, neither the fans nor the squirrel seem to be harmful to the big adventures of the small creature.
What: Bat
Location: AT&T Center, San Antonio
Time: 2009 – And again 2019
Here’s what you’re talking about bats: If you don’t know much about them, what they can do is horrible. And they showed multiple times at the AT&T center where San Antonio plays.
First, they have to go when one bat breaks into the Spurs game against the Sacramento Kings in October 2009. Luckily, the quick and speedy Manuji Nobili was still on the spurt, so he somehow managed to beat the creature and capture it. What’s even more interesting is what happened on Halloween night.
However, no bats were done.
The Spurs were on Brooklyn nets in January when the game was delayed by four bats as well as a few minutes, as staff worked to clean the animals. The “Manu, Manu, Manu” hymns erupted in the crowd, so fans clearly knew who was needed.
Spurs fans chanted “Manu” while the bats flew around the court 🦇😂 pic.twitter.com/ytdcqwx4vo
-espn (@espn) February 1st, 2019
We apologize for the inconvenience, but no bats were held in San Antonio. A month later, another bat headed to the floor of the AT&T Center during a Spurs game with the New Orleans Pelicans.
This time, it was Spurs’ mascot, Coyote, who was able to capture creatures in the first quarter with a fishing net near the scorer’s table. The delay lasted about 90 seconds.
The bats are back Also This is the third time the Spurs took on the Milwaukee Bucks this March. Again, the coyotes have come to the rescue.
Contents: Squirrel
Location: Bush Stadium, St. Louis
Time: 2011
Imagine that it explodes into your first spotlight and you win the World Series.
That’s how (somehow) fell for the grey squirrel who ran the home plate at Bush Stadium in Game 3 of the National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals in October 2011.
It was clear that all the players were pretty confused, but there was no delay in the game.
*Note: We have scrutinized every corner of the Interweb, but there are no original Larry Squirrel videos. 2011 apparently was a much easier time.
However, the Phillies won Game 3 and gave them a 2-1 lead in the NLDS. However, the Cardinals have won games 4 and 5, won the series and headed for the World Series. St. Louis won the 2011 World Series with the Texas Rangers in seven games, with Larry Squirrel playing the role.
What: Cat
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore and MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
When: 2017, 2019
Cats are quite agile creatures, so it’s not surprising how often you can enter any sporting venue.
In 2017, the kitten flipped over at M&T Bank Stadium and shot a game between the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens.
There’s a cat on the field!#iavsbal pic.twitter.com/urpmuafwoa
– nfl (@nfl) October 27, 2017
Tony Romo’s play-by-play is very interesting. However, the cute cat is eventually captured and taken away by the staff at the stadium.
However, the story had a happy ending. According to the team, stadium employees officially recruited the stray cat and named her “Ray” – short for Ravens.
In 2019, the black cat ran to the field during a MetLife Stadium match between the Giants and Dallas Cowboys Monday Night Football in New York.
If you don’t have it @saquonyou need to sign that cat! Cats are elusive! @giants
– Michael Strahan (@michaelstrahan) November 5th, 2019
What: Dog
Location: Dunhill Links Championship, Scotland
Time: 2012
Look, the dog and ball hold hands and go. Not only that, Scotland is one of the most dog-friendly countries. So it’s not surprising that Dunhill Link saw a significant share of dogs while playing golf.
However, in 2012, one dog stole Paul Casey’s golf ball from the third hole green.
“That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever had on a golf course,” Casey said. “I noticed the dog on the 12th tee and he chased us down the fairway before he really liked my golf ball.”
The good news was that Casey was allowed to play the original ball and won a birdie in the hole.
I’ve heard of digging dogs @paul_casey in @kingsbarnsgl?
Eyewitness Caddy Kieren Smith relives one of them #DunhillLinks The strangest story pic.twitter.com/vnrvw8ahxc– Alfred Dunhilllink Championship (@dunhilllinks) September 8, 2018
What: Bee
Location: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati
When: 2019
The worst part about bees is that you don’t know which direction they will fly. And of course, the fact that they can stab you.
There was an 18-minute delay when a swarm of bees landed on the top of the backstop screen before the first pitch of the game in May between the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds.
Ready now… Play the ball! 🐝 pic.twitter.com/z4iowu8ojp
– Cincinnati Reds (@reds) May 6, 2019
Honestly, we’re happy that none of us got stabbed.
