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Matteo Darmian Randy Johnson’d Some Poor Bird

RIP to this little guy. 
Dan Gartland|
Matteo Darmian Randy Johnson’d Some Poor Bird
Matteo Darmian Randy Johnson’d Some Poor Bird

Nothing good can happen when a bird gets near a sports field. It’s a lesson we first learned on March 24, 2001, when Randy Johnson obliterated a dove with a fastball during a spring training game. 

Well, it happened again in Manchester United’s match this week against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Fans watching the game on TV knew something was up when they caught sight of a lifeless bird on the grass. 

The game broadcast apparently didn’t capture how the bird met its fate, but someone filming from the stands did. It turns out it was Italian defender Matteo Darmian playing the role of executioner. 

Poor Danny Hoesen thought the bird could be saved and went to pick it up. It was eventually carried off the pitch by Florian Jungwirth, who hopefully got a new jersey after disposing of it in a bucket. 

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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland writes Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, and is the host of the “Stadium Wonders” video series. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).

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