Sports are often exciting, and encounters with animals add an unexpected layer of drama, sometimes incredibly so. While usually confined to their natural habitats, wildlife occasionally makes its way onto sports fields, courts, and courses, leading to memorable and often amusing interruptions.
During a recent college baseball game between Texas and Oklahoma at L. Dale Mitchell Park, play was briefly interrupted by a bunny. In the fourth inning, the rabbit appeared near third base, hopped behind home plate, and then quickly left the field towards the bullpen.
This incident is just one of many times wild animals have unexpectedly appeared during sports events. Memorable past examples include a dog running onto a Georgia football field and numerous bat encounters in San Antonio. To commemorate these amusing occurrences, here`s a look back at some other memorable instances of animals interrupting play.
Squirrels
In 2024, a squirrel caused a stir during an Ole Miss-Oklahoma football game in Oxford, Mississippi. It ran onto the field and sprinted towards the end zone before exiting.
In 2023, a squirrel surprised fans at Yankee Stadium by running along the outfield wall during a game. The animal completed its journey safely.
Known as the `Rally Squirrel,` a gray squirrel gained fame during the 2011 MLB playoffs. It ran across home plate during a St. Louis Cardinals game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. Although the Cardinals lost that specific game, they went on to win the series and the World Series, with the squirrel becoming a symbol of their unexpected success.
Insects
Also in 2024, an insect briefly stopped play during a US Open tennis quarterfinal match in New York City between Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov. Ball boys attempted to catch the creature by hand before the match continued.
Raccoon
A raccoon halted an MLS game between the Philadelphia Union and New York City FC in Chester, Pennsylvania, in 2024. The animal wandered onto the field during the first half and successfully evaded staff for over two minutes before being removed.
Turtle
During a 2024 minor league baseball game involving the Bradenton Marauders in Bradenton, Florida, a turtle caused a delay. The reptile wandered the outfield until a pitcher safely removed it.
Bees
In 2024, a swarm of bees delayed an Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. The bees formed a colony on the netting behind home plate, causing a nearly two-hour delay until a beekeeper, who became a fan favorite, was called to safely remove them. The beekeeper even threw the first pitch.
In 2019, a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati was delayed by a swarm of bees that landed on the backstop screen. The game was delayed for about 18 minutes until the bees dispersed.
Cats
Cats have also made appearances. In 2017, a kitten interrupted a Baltimore Ravens game; it was later adopted by a stadium employee and named `Rae.` In 2019, a black cat ran onto the field during a Giants vs. Cowboys Monday Night Football game in New Jersey.
Dogs
At the 2012 Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, a dog interrupted play by picking up golfer Paul Casey`s ball from the green. Casey called it the `weirdest thing` he`d seen on a course but was allowed to replace his ball and still made a birdie.
Bats
Bats have famously caused multiple delays during San Antonio Spurs games at the AT&T Center. In 2009, on Halloween, player Manu Ginobili famously swatted down a bat. Bats appeared again in 2019, once forcing a delay with four bats on the court, prompting `Manu` chants from the crowd. Later in 2019, the team mascot, The Coyote, successfully captured bats with a fishing net on two separate occasions.
Marcus Bellamy