A baseball pitcher once struck a dove in flight, causing it to 'explode'

During spring training, in Tucson, Arizona, March 25, 2001, baseball pitcher Randy Johnson threw a fastball that struck a dove in flight, causing it to "explode" mid-air in a cloud of feathers. The video is one of the most famous and popular clips exhibited in modern sports blooper reels.

It was a freak accident during the 7th inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants.  The unlucky bird swooped across the infield just as Johnson was releasing the ball. After being struck by the pitch, the bird landed amid a "sea of feathers." The official call was "no pitch".^[1][2]

^Sources:

1. The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Official info: Umpires: Feature
2. Bird 'explodes' after flying in path of fastball ESPN.com
   

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