Alright, so I was messing around the other day trying to recreate that crazy moment when Randy Johnson hit a bird with a fastball. You know, that wild video from back in 2001 during spring training. I’ve always been fascinated by that, it’s like one in a million chance, isn’t it?
So, first, I watched the original video like a hundred times. I wanted to get a good feel for the whole setup – how he pitched, where the bird was, how fast everything was moving. It was a blur, seriously, but I wanted to grasp it as much as I could.
Then, I started gathering some stuff. I got a baseball, a pitching machine (borrowed from my neighbor, thanks, John!), and a bunch of feather dusters (don’t laugh). My backyard became my own little spring training field. My kids thought I was nuts, but they wanted to help.
Next, I tried to set up the pitching machine to mimic Johnson’s throw. Now, I know I’m no professional, and I wasn’t hitting 100 mph, but I tweaked the settings to get it as fast and straight as possible. The kids thought it was too slow, but they’re not facing the ball!
- First few tries, nothing. The ball whizzed right past the feather dusters.
- Then, I adjusted the angle a bit, trying to simulate the bird’s flight path.
- After maybe 30, 40 attempts, I finally connected! Feathers went everywhere! It was a mess, but I got it!
It was such a fun thing to try! Of course, it wasn’t a real bird, and my pitch was way slower than Randy Johnson’s, but still, it was cool to see those feathers fly. It really gave me a new appreciation for just how insane that moment was in 2001. I mean, the odds of that happening are just astronomical.
I recorded a few of my successful attempts, mostly just for laughs. It’s not pretty, but it captures the chaos.
I learned one thing. It’s not easy to hit a fast-moving target with a baseball, even if that target is a bundle of feathers tied to a string. The kids had a great time watching, and honestly, so did I. We had a good laugh, and it was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
It reminded me of how much I love baseball, and how many crazy moments happen in the sport. Randy Johnson hitting that bird is still one of the most bizarre, and I guess that’s why I’m still talking about it all these years later.
After all of that, we cleaned up the yard. We were finding feathers for hours. It was a fun experiment, but I think I’ll stick to regular target practice from now on. No more birds, real or fake, in my backyard!
Man, if that was a real bird, I would have felt awful. I mean, Randy Johnson looked shocked, and that dude was a giant. I probably would have cried.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my little story. It was a blast to try, and who knows, maybe I’ll try to recreate another crazy baseball moment sometime soon. Maybe not.
