Texas Rangers skipper Jeff Banister came to the rescue of a pigeon during Monday’s 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
The pigeon was nearly struck by a ground ball off the bat of Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor. Despite the close call, the bird was unfazed, and efforts to safely remove it from the field of play failed, including when first-base umpire Gary Cederstrom attempted to corral the bird in his cap.
When order was restored when Banister calmly scooped up the bird in his hands and escorted it to safety.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Jeff Wilson reported afterward on Twitter that Banister “took the bird that camped in the infield in the fourth inning to a stadium attendant, who set it free.”