Squirrel Terrifies Yankees Fans

I’ll get right to the point. Last night at the Yankees game, a squirrel put on a show.

Oh, heck yes! When an animal runs onto the field of play in a sporting event, we get excited. Usually more excited than scared. Late last year a dog ran onto the court during a GW men’s basketball game and terrified the players. Now: Dogs are big. So I can see being scared of a dog.

But a squirrel? I guess these people might’ve been more shocked than scared, but can you really be shocked that a squirrel is scampering across a flat, elevated surface? I looked out my window just now and saw a squirrel running along my front wall. (I would love it if the fence at Yankee Stadium, like my front wall, were built out of Wissahickon schist with an irregular formation. The players might not.)

So I can only assume they were surprised the squirrel was so close to them. I guess that might scare me, but I dunno. It’s just a squirrel. Are they dangerous? Animal Control New York and New Jersey, a company which says it offers “offers humane animal control as well as removal of any animals that may have died on your property,” has a page on its website titled “What Makes Squirrels Dangerous?” A pest company is not exactly an unbiased source, but that is my point: Even the pest company only says squirrels are dangerous because they can damage your house.

So, yeah, I think these people were overreacting a little. Anyone agree with me?

Ah, yeah, maybe I don’t want to have this take. Never mind. The fans are OK to be scared here.