Throwing Baseballs at Ospreys
Cubs prospect Ryu picks on wrong bird (Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4/24/2003)
From the do not do files, Cubs 19-year-old Korean pitching prospect Jae-kuk Ryu “injured an osprey with a baseball before Monday night’s game in Daytona Beach, Fla. The bird, which had been nesting with its mate and a brood of chicks on top of a 40-foot light pole over left field, was treated for a serious eye injury Tuesday.” Ryu may face criminal animal cruelty charges. “Ospreys are protected by the state of Florida, and wounding or killing one could be punishable by a fine of up to $500 and 60 days in jail.”
(Note: Brian Carstens noted this before I did, linking to the AP article.)
While this isn’t Ben Christensen bad, it’s certainly not good to attack a defenseless bird, let alone an endangered one, for sport. The Cubs immediately demoted Ryu from high-A Daytona to low-A Lansing. He may face other team penalties. Daytona will also be holding a fundraiser for an animal clinic.