Strange Incidents Happened in Sports History
Many strange incidents in sports history have left fans, athletes, and commentators scratching their heads, like What Just Happened? So let’s see some of the Strange Incidents Happened in Sports History.
When you think about it now, strange incidents don’t have to be shocking or create a mess, they can also be purely funny. But mostly we get to see incidents that are not supposed to happen.
As with everything in the world, Sports has its fair share of Incidents around the globe.
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The Disappearing Pitcher
Christy Mathewson vanished during an inning of a baseball game between the New York Giants and Boston Braves in 1912. The incident was caused by him simply stepping behind a billboard to relieve himself.
The Soccer Riot
In 1969, a soccer match between El Salvador and Honduras sparked a war between the two countries. After Honduras won, riots broke out, leading to a diplomatic crisis and the brief Salvadoran-Honduran War.

The Bird Strike
The Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles played a baseball game in 2016, when a seagull was hit by a pitch. The game was briefly delayed while the grounds crew removed the bird’s remains from the field.
The Bite Fight
During a boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in 1997, Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s ear, leading to his disqualification and a suspension from the sport.
This was a well-known incident already still I added this incident to this list.
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The Zamboni Joyride
A 15-year-old boy steals a Zamboni during an NHL game between Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators in 2003, driving it around the rink and causing a delay in the game.
The Poisoned Chalice
During a cycling race in 1998, a water bottle given to Italian cyclist Marco Pantani was found to be laced with the banned substance EPO. Pantani denied any knowledge of the doping and was cleared, but the incident raised questions about performance-enhancing drugs.
The Immaculate Reception
Franco Harris caught a deflected pass and ran in a game-winning touchdown for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Oakland Raiders in 1972. The play became known as the “Immaculate Reception,” but its legality has been debated ever since, with some arguing it should have been ruled incomplete.
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The Perfect 10
In the 1976 Olympics, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci became the first person ever to score a perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics. The electronic scoreboard was not designed to display such a high score, and instead showed a 1.00, leading to confusion and disbelief.
The Curse of the Bambino
In 1918, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series but then sold star player Babe Ruth to the rival New York Yankees. The Red Sox did not win another World Series for 86 years, leading to the belief that they were cursed by the “Curse of the Bambino.”

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The Hand of God
In the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals, Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona scored a controversial goal against England, using his hand to punch the ball into the net. Maradona later claimed that it was the “Hand of God” that helped him score the goal.
I have talked about in another of my post about Sports Controversies, so you can check out the first link of this post or this.
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The Malice at the Palace
In a 2004 NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons, a fight broke out between players, which spilled into the stands and involved fans. One of the worst incidents of violence in sports history led to multiple player suspensions and criminal charges.
The Pigeon Pitcher
Pigeons landed on the pitcher’s mound in a 2015 MLB game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants, causing the game to be delayed while players and umpires chased them away.
This was one funny incident.
The 1904 Olympic Marathon
The marathon event at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis was filled with bizarre occurrences. The route was poorly marked, and many runners got lost.
One competitor, Fred Lorz, actually took a car for part of the race but was later disqualified when his deception was revealed. After receiving strychnine from his trainers, Thomas Hicks hallucinated and was supported to the finish line by his handlers.
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The 1994 Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan Incident
Leading up to the 1994 Winter Olympics, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a man hired by rival skater Tonya Harding’s ex-husband. The incident, known as “The Whack Heard Round the World,” shocked the sporting world and became a major scandal.
The Handshake Snub
In a 2012 UEFA Euro match between Germany and Portugal, Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo refused to shake hands with German coach Joachim Low. The incident created a media frenzy and fueled speculation about tensions between the two.
The Bat Corking
In 2003, baseball player Sammy Sosa was ejected from a game after his bat shattered and it was discovered that it was filled with cork. Corking a bat is illegal as it is believed to enhance performance by making it lighter and increasing bat speed.
The Ghost Goal
Tottenham’s Pedro Mendes took a long-range shot that Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll caught in 2005. Carroll spilled the ball, but the goal wasn’t awarded, leading to controversy and calls for goal-line technology.
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The Miracle on Ice
In the 1980 Winter Olympics, the United States ice hockey team, consisting of amateur and collegiate players, defeated the Soviet Union team, considered one of the greatest hockey teams in history. In sports history, this victory was considered a miracle. Never underestimate young talent I suppose or anyone in general.
The Ball Boy Goal
Dylan Colaci, a ball boy at the Australian Open in 2013, accidentally hit a stray ball back into play. The ball was considered in play, and Benneteau won the point.
These strange incidents serve as reminders that sports can be unpredictable and full of unexpected moments which audiences look for worldwide.
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—DHANYAVAAD—