Well told Paul. I have a recollection that later on Yankee manager Billy Martin when asked about the incident quipped that he knew Winfield could not have been intentionally throwing at the seagull =
One of baseball's all-time great quotes. I think you'll enjoy the other, lesser-known quote from Martin about how the Yankees planned to retaliate when the Blue Jays came to New York--that's in Part 2. Glad you enjoyed it, Mark!
Paul, I don’t remember this incident although I thought he hit a bird on the fly as he threw home from the outfield. Maybe that was someone else??? I’ll hafta Google it. Thanx I did enjoy your writing
Hey Paul, I was watching the Yankees playing the Cubs yesterday & Friday. I immediately thought of you as the camera picks up a flock of pidgeons to the left of the center fielder. I don’t know what would attract about 25 birds there; maybe they wanted to see themselves on the Jumbotron (which is not absolutely correct-I used to work for Sony & they discontinued it, story for another time) but they were there most of the game. Let’s see today if they return 🦅🦆
I think they like resting out there! It makes sense, there's so much stimulation and fighting for food in the surrounding grandstands, but the field is large, open, and relatively peaceful. But like you I think about those peaceful scenes a little differently these days. Tip of the cap to the Yankees on taking 2 of 3. It was good to see Rizzo back while he was still a Yankee, at least.
Thanks Jeff! Winfield was definitely throwing from the outfield toward the ballboy near the foul line, it's just not clear if he was actually throwing at the gull nearby. If you find the incident that includes a throw home, let me know, we'll add it to the official rolls, which we are apparently keeping here at Project 3.18.
Paul, I looked in Google & found nothing so I must be confusing the ball boy incident. I do know he had quite an arm. He could reach the catcher on the fly from the outfield. Great player great person, he built a hospital wing onto Hackensack Hospital in NJ.
I can't believe that one didn't make it into the press back then! Too risque, I suppose. The bird puns and jokes were half the words in the articles about this incident. "Murder most fowl" was ridden particularly hard. I vowed not to rely on them in my account but the Project 3.18 comments offer an open door to anyone wanting to workshop new material!
Another great issue, Paul! When I read “The Spit gulls came in numbers, bringing large appetites and little fear of humans. The closed-off outfield sections left plenty of room for the birds to visit and safely congregate during baseball games, and they tended to use the grandstands as a restaurant and the playing field as a spot to nap,” I thought this was going to take a different tack. Meaning I thought the gulls would have the upper hand. I guess, being an animal lover, I think Dave Winfield should’ve been fined much more than $500. So, I’ll wait in anticipation of next week’s international incident installment!
Thanks Meg! Really interesting to see where you thought this might go, and thinking about the bigger picture (who has the "upper hand"). This story does/will actually lend itself to those ideas. Winfield shouldn't have thrown at the bird, but the only reason it was there was because humans had played around with natural forces in building the Spit. Often when humans meddle in the natural world, animals lose, but certainly not always. In this case, gulls took the land people had made and became (problematically) successful.
Well told Paul. I have a recollection that later on Yankee manager Billy Martin when asked about the incident quipped that he knew Winfield could not have been intentionally throwing at the seagull =
'He hasn't hit the cutoff man all year'.
One of baseball's all-time great quotes. I think you'll enjoy the other, lesser-known quote from Martin about how the Yankees planned to retaliate when the Blue Jays came to New York--that's in Part 2. Glad you enjoyed it, Mark!
Paul, I don’t remember this incident although I thought he hit a bird on the fly as he threw home from the outfield. Maybe that was someone else??? I’ll hafta Google it. Thanx I did enjoy your writing
Hey Paul, I was watching the Yankees playing the Cubs yesterday & Friday. I immediately thought of you as the camera picks up a flock of pidgeons to the left of the center fielder. I don’t know what would attract about 25 birds there; maybe they wanted to see themselves on the Jumbotron (which is not absolutely correct-I used to work for Sony & they discontinued it, story for another time) but they were there most of the game. Let’s see today if they return 🦅🦆
I think they like resting out there! It makes sense, there's so much stimulation and fighting for food in the surrounding grandstands, but the field is large, open, and relatively peaceful. But like you I think about those peaceful scenes a little differently these days. Tip of the cap to the Yankees on taking 2 of 3. It was good to see Rizzo back while he was still a Yankee, at least.
Thanks Jeff! Winfield was definitely throwing from the outfield toward the ballboy near the foul line, it's just not clear if he was actually throwing at the gull nearby. If you find the incident that includes a throw home, let me know, we'll add it to the official rolls, which we are apparently keeping here at Project 3.18.
Paul, I looked in Google & found nothing so I must be confusing the ball boy incident. I do know he had quite an arm. He could reach the catcher on the fly from the outfield. Great player great person, he built a hospital wing onto Hackensack Hospital in NJ.
Ah, the classic baseball/bird story - Winfield might’ve enjoyed six months off.
Paul,
Thanks for giving us the bird again.
Can't believe I got firstys on that one. Can't wait for next week's bird. Thanks.
I can't believe that one didn't make it into the press back then! Too risque, I suppose. The bird puns and jokes were half the words in the articles about this incident. "Murder most fowl" was ridden particularly hard. I vowed not to rely on them in my account but the Project 3.18 comments offer an open door to anyone wanting to workshop new material!
Another great issue, Paul! When I read “The Spit gulls came in numbers, bringing large appetites and little fear of humans. The closed-off outfield sections left plenty of room for the birds to visit and safely congregate during baseball games, and they tended to use the grandstands as a restaurant and the playing field as a spot to nap,” I thought this was going to take a different tack. Meaning I thought the gulls would have the upper hand. I guess, being an animal lover, I think Dave Winfield should’ve been fined much more than $500. So, I’ll wait in anticipation of next week’s international incident installment!
Thanks Meg! Really interesting to see where you thought this might go, and thinking about the bigger picture (who has the "upper hand"). This story does/will actually lend itself to those ideas. Winfield shouldn't have thrown at the bird, but the only reason it was there was because humans had played around with natural forces in building the Spit. Often when humans meddle in the natural world, animals lose, but certainly not always. In this case, gulls took the land people had made and became (problematically) successful.