As part of our celebration of America 250, MLB's content team has created 25 top 10 lists that capture the plays, people, rituals and moments that make baseball America’s game. We’ll be revealing five lists per week over the course of five weeks.
1. The Big Maple's patriotic pregame
April 5, 2018, Mariners vs. Twins
James Paxton got his nickname "The Big Maple" for obvious reasons: He’s 6-foot-4 and from Canada. But those origins didn't stop a bald eagle from choosing the lefty as its landing spot, all while the American national anthem played before a Paxton start at Target Field. Paxton calmly followed the patriotic (and slightly alarming) display with five innings of two-run ball, but his Mariners couldn't get a W.
2. The Cardinals' Rally Squirrel(s)
2011 NLDS, Cardinals vs. Phillies
The Busch Stadium Rally Squirrel caused just a short delay as the Phillies won Game 3 of the 2011 NLDS. But in Game 4, another squirrel crossed home plate as the Phils’ Roy Oswalt pitched. The Cards forced Game 5, when in Philly, another squirrel heckled Oswalt pregame. St. Louis advanced, Rally Squirrel gear was everywhere and the club ran to its 11th World Series.
3. Chamberlain, Yankees battle Cleveland ... and its bugs
2007 ALDS Game 2, Yankees vs. Indians
It’s hard enough to protect a one-run, eighth-inning lead in the postseason, let alone to do so as a 21-year-old rookie. Add a swarm of midges to the mix? That hardly seems fair. But that’s what Joba Chamberlain had to deal with in Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS. Not even bug spray protected Chamberlain and the Yankees infield. Cleveland tied the game on a wild pitch, later winning in extras.
4. The Curse of the Billy Goat
1945 World Series Game 4, Tigers vs. Cubs
The Cubs were a powerhouse in the early 20th century, but that changed in 1945. Chicago went home for Game 4 with a 2-1 World Series lead over the Tigers. Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis attempted to enter Wrigley Field alongside his goat but was denied. Sianis cursed the Cubs to never win another title. The Cubs fell in 1945, then endured decades of heartbreak before the 2016 championship.
5. "Unstung" hero saves Dodgers, D-backs from bees
April 30, 2024, Dodgers vs. D-backs
You’ll rarely see the words “bee delay” on a jumbotron, but the Dodgers and Diamondbacks dealt with a two-hour one in 2024. A colony of bees made its home on the netting behind home plate and forced pest control to come remove them. The “unstung hero” lived for the moment, gesturing to the crowd. Those who braved the late night were rewarded with a walk-off 10th-inning homer from Christian Walker.
6. The Big Unit hits a bird
March 24, 2001, Giants vs. D-backs (Spring Training)
Randy Johnson accomplished plenty of jaw-dropping things during his Hall of Fame career. But none were as improbable as this one, when he fired a pitch during a 2001 Spring Training game and squarely hit a bird as it flew in front of home plate. The unfortunate coincidence is so famous it even inspired Johnson to use a dead bird as the logo for his post-retirement pastime: photography.
7. An adorable stroke of bad luck
Sept. 9, 1969, Cubs vs. Mets
Twenty-four years after the Curse of the Billy Goat began, the Cubs finally looked primed for a postseason return. Then they had another ominous occurrence: A black cat ran around Shea Stadium and stared straight into the Cubs’ dugout during a pivotal series against the Mets. A five-game skid extended to eight, while the Cubs finished the year 9-18 and narrowly missed the playoffs.
8. Attack of the "killer kitten"
July 14, 1984, Red Sox vs. Mariners
It’s not easy to wrangle a loose animal on a baseball field. That was especially true when an attendant corralled a kitten in Seattle’s Kingdome. After a chase, he picked the kitten up and started off the field. That’s when the feline fought back, gnawing on the man’s fingers until he spun around in pain and dropped it. It took a second effort to finally clear the field of the “killer cat.”
9. A dream ending for a distraught doggo
June 22, 2026, Rangers vs. Marlins
You could see the disappointment on the face of Jonah, the 6-year-old cunucu, when another dog chowed down on a ballpark frank without him at the Marlins’ Bark at the Park night. Fortunately for Jonah, the club put out a “Wanted” ad and found him -- and brought him back to the park later on for his “dream day.” Jonah got plenty of dog treats and love, and his owner even threw out the first pitch.
10. A full grounds crew could not catch it
July 27, 2026, Orioles vs. Tigers
After a black squirrel took a lap around the warning track in the sixth inning, the grounds crew tried to capture it during the seventh-inning stretch. However, our furry friend was having none of it, and it took nearly 20 minutes to get it off the field. Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti took the moment to another level with his enthusiastic play-by-play of the proceedings.
Honorable Mentions