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Randy Johnson Detonated a Bird on This Date 25 Years Ago

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Thomas Neumann | Last updated Mar 24, 2026 9:16 AM ET

Randy Johnson is a 10-time MLB All-Star, a five-time Cy Young winner and a World Series MVP.

The 6-foot-10 lefty stood as one of the most imposing pitchers in baseball history, capable of embarrassing hitters with triple-digit heat and effective wildness.

Still … he might be best known for … detonating a bird?

Indeed, just start typing "Randy Johnson" into a web query or YouTube search, and the suggestions begin to autofill:

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● randy johnson hits bird gif

It happened 25 years ago today, on March 24, 2001, when Johnson and the Arizona Diamondbacks hosted the San Francisco Giants in a spring training game in Tucson, Arizona. Johnson was working in the seventh inning of a split-squad contest, delivering a pitch to Giants outfielder Calvin Murray, when … POOF!

Throwback to the afternoon Randy Johnson detonated the bird with the worst sense of timing ever.

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— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) January 12, 2025

After a moment, it becomes clear what the bleep just happened: Johnson's pitch has obliterated a dove that crossed its path at the exact wrong time.

"I'm sitting there waiting for it, and I'm expecting to catch the thing, and all you see is an explosion," Arizona catcher Rod Barajas said.

For some reason, Giants second baseman Jeff Kent retrieved the dead bird with his bare hands and jokingly gestured at Johnson. Then Kent took the bird into the dugout.

The stoic Johnson wasn't amused, telling reporters, "I didn't think it was all that funny."

Little did he know, people would still be talking about it 25 years later.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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