It must be agony to be a dog at a baseball game. Aside from scooping up dropped nibbles of ballpark food, the event could very well be torture. While this is most certainly an exaggeration, imagine being told to “stay” as balls go rolling (or flying!) This could make even the best-behaved dogs quiver with anticipation.
Whether it’s basketball, soccer, or baseball, there’s the need to retrieve. In a moment of glory, one lucky dog catches a home run ball at a spring training game, CNN reports.
Dog Catches Home Run Ball at Dodgers-Royals Spring Training Game
Excited baseball fans got the show of the season after the dog caught a ball in the seventh inning. Supporters of both teams erupted with cheers at the impressive catch. Michael Busch, a prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers, knocked the ball over the fence late in the game. The homer is his second of the spring.
After the ball went flying, fans scrambled to see who could come up with the prize. In the midst of the chaos, a dog grabbed the ball with its teeth. At first, the pup refused to give the ball up, rejoicing in his prize. After receiving a few pets from his owner, who was wearing a Dodger’s K-9 Jersey, the dog dropped the ball. Video footage of the event shows the dog wearing a service animal harness.
A Record for Retrieval
The celebrated canine companion is not the only pup to catch a home run. Last October, a Golden Retriever honored his breed’s name by retrieving a homer from Mets’ shortstop Francisco Lindor. Truthfully, the catch was a dual effort. The dog’s owner helped with an assist, blocking the speeding ball from hitting the four-legged spectator.
“Lindor hits the home run. I see it coming and I guess my dad instincts took over,” Chris Howland told MLB.com. “It was literally going right for the dogs. I don’t need them taking a 110-mile-an-hour baseball in the stomach. So, I reached over my girlfriend, it hit off my finger, hit off the seat, and landed on the ground. We’re scrambling for it. I came up with it and I gave it to the dog.”
We’re hoping to see more canine catches this season. The opening day of the MLB season is March 30.
