dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (08/05/83)
You Yankee-haters can have a ball with this one...
In last night's game at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Dave Winfield,
in right field, threw a ball which killed a seagull (Exhibition Stadium
is right by Lake Ontario, and seagulls are common visitors; hence the
words in the Blue Jays' song, "Is that a fly ball - or is it a seagull?").
I was listening to the game at the time, and the Toronto sportscasters
didn't see what happened, but a lot of fans sure thought it was
intentional. Winfield was booed for the rest of the game.
After receiving a number of complaints from fans, the Metro Toronto
Police arrested Winfield and charged him (cruelty to animals). He was
held at the police station until another member of the team could get
down to post $500 bond [that sure seems unnecessary to me - he could
have been released on his own recognizance - he's sure to be back].
The reports on the radio this morning suggest that Winfield was just
throwing the ball in to the bat-boy, and it happened to bounce and
hit the seagull in the air. If that's true, I'm sure the charges will
be withdrawn.
I'm not particularly a Yankee-hater or -lover (except when they're
playing the Jays). But they sure get into all the bizarre situations.
Only in Canada, you say?
Pity.
Dave Sherman
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{linus,cornell,watmath,ihnp4,floyd,allegra,utzoo,uw-beaver}!utcsrgv!dave