Sports can give you the unusual, the unexpected and downright weird

Several years ago when I was still teaching, some students and I were engaged in conversation in the hallway. The topic was this: if you could go to a MLB baseball game and see one player, who would it be?Someone suggested Nolan Ryan for the possibility of throwing a no-hitter. Other names were bandied about, but I suggested one that caught them by surprise. My choice was Bo Jackson. The two-sport star did things that no one else had ever seen (I can see you rummaging through your memory bank for your favorite Bo moment) and to be there in person to watch it would be incredible.Such is the beauty of athletics. Any contest can provide a highlight that you will remember for the rest of your life. This week some things took place on the diamond as well as the links and I was reminded of things I had seen years ago. Let's take a look at the unusual, the unexpected and, yes, even weird.We will start with baseball and the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. With the game tied in the bottom of the 10th inning, Philadelphia loaded the bases. A game winning walk off hit would be spectacular for the Phillie faithful. A walk off walk would work, but would not be as exciting. No one was prepared for how this game ended.The Phillies hitter swung late at a two strike pitch just managing to get a piece of the ball to stay alive. He then suggested to the umpire that his bat had hit the catcher's mitt. The umpire had not seen it, so the Phillies requested a challenge. After reviewing the film, the bat did touch the glove. That would be catcher's interference, everyone advances and the game is over.Had this ever occurred before? Well, yes – once. I believe the year was 1971 and this was only the second time in major league history for it to happen. Unusual? You bet.The next day the same two teams played again. In the first inning Bryce Harper attempted to steal home. The Phillies hitter bailed out of the way and the Red Sox catcher stepped forward to catch the pitch and then tag the runner. The home plate umpire did not signal safe or out on the bang bang play. He did however rule catcher's interference and the run scored.When Carlos Narvaez stepped into the plate area and caught the pitch he was in violation of the rule that says he may not interfere with the batter's right to hit the ball. The fact that the hitter had retreated some 10 feet from the plate did not matter. It was interference on Narvaez for the second day in a row and consecutive innings at that.Don't feel too bad for Narvaez. He hit a two-run homer in extra innings the next day to avoid a sweep and help Red Sox fans forget the interference calls.At The Open last week Scottie Scheffler let the world know that he is the best golfer in the world. His 14-month old son also stole the show, but the strangest play in the tournament belonged to Rory McIlroy.After hitting a tee shot way to the right, his ball was located on bare ground. He hit an iron shot towards the green. After the club face contacted the ball, it dug into the ground and unearthed another golf ball that had been buried.The second ball landed at McIlroy's feet. The look of surprise on his face as he picked it up and showed it to all the fans around him was priceless. I have never seen that before and I'm guessing those in attendance hadn't either. Unexpected? You bet.Anita and I ventured out to the Seneca County Fair this week for the first time in a few years. Part of my desire to go was the hope of finding the Sam's Italian Sausage vendor who used to be located next to the grandstand. Alas my favorite eatery was not there, but while bemoaning the fact that I would not have that particular item (a similar sandwich was found in a few other places, but not Sam's) I happened to see a harness horse circling the track.My mind instantly went back to my younger days. Growing up in Attica, I went to the Attica Independent Fair every year. One of my favorite activities was to attend the harness races. Even after I moved to Tiffin I would still go back, pick up my dad and we would go to the afternoon races.Two events happened at those races and I can't remember if it was in my youth or later years that they took place. But trust me when I say I recall both events vividly. The first one took place at the end of a race. The last horse to cross the finish line was slowing and you could tell it was in distress. He veered towards the grandstand and by the time the driver got out of the sulky, the horse literally collapsed.The crowd sat in stunned silence. Fortunately a local veterinarian was nearby. He went out on the track and tended to the animal for several minutes. Eventually they got the horse up and it was led back to the barn. I found out later that the horse had swallowed it's tongue and could not breathe.That is the phrase that is used though it simply means the tongue went into the back of the mouth blocking the air passage. I witnessed the same thing in college when one of my baseball teammates had a similar fate. Due to some quick action by both coaches, my teammates life was saved. Both instances can be described as unusual and unexpected. Fortunately both the horse and my teammate survived!The other racing incident took place when a horse came around the final turn and was spooked by something. He reared up, unseating his driver before leaving the track as he approached the grandstand.He bolted across the property and somehow managed to get up on the railroad tracks and started north. As many of us watched from the top of the grandstands we were concerned where all of this would end.A horseman jumped in a truck and headed north on Rt. 4 to where the tracks would angle across the highway. He got there in time to stop the tired animal and eventually the horse would be returned unharmed to the fair grounds.I think I would categorize this incident as plain weird. Can you imagine if a train was coming or if he reached the highway with traffic coming? I do wonder if anyone from the Attica area remember either of these racing incidents.So the next time you plan to go to a game or even watch one on TV, be prepared for the unusual, unexpected and weird. You never know...