The Most Funny Things in Baseball
There are few things in the world as exciting as going to a live baseball game or even watching one on television. Fans of the game know the exhilaration one feels when their favorite player hits a walk-off home run or throws a perfect game. It's no wonder baseball has become, not only the great American past time but a sport that is enjoyed by millions of spectators around the world.
As baseball has continued to grow in popularity, so have the profiles of many of the players who are lucky enough to make it to the big leagues. In 2018, Major League Baseball has a number of popular players who are rich, famous and have legions of adoring fans.
However, most MLB stars have a few incidents on the field that they would probably prefer to forget. In many cases, these incidents are not only unfortunate, in some cases, they are also downright embarrassing.
With that in mind, we are about to take a look at 15 of the funniest photographs the sport of baseball has ever produced. These pic's include players, fans, celebs, and just about everything (and everyone) in between. Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a hilarious ride.
15 Taking It Easy
It's been said that "a picture is worth a thousand words" and this photo really drives that point home. Here we see 1st baseman Prince Fielder in a pic that sums up the exhaustion associated with playing 162 games over the course of a professional baseball season – which doesn't even include the additional games they have to play if their team makes it to the postseason. For those unfamiliar, Prince Fielder is recently retired MLB star who is probably best known for this time as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers – though he also had some success with the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers. Fielder is a 6-time All-Star and led the National League in Home Runs back in 2007. This image was captured towards the end of his career and foreshadows the slugger's retirement plans quite nicely.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"After Jackie Robinson, the most important black in baseball history is Reggie Jackson."— Reggie Jackson
"On hearing that Reggie Jackson was reported to have an IQ of 165, Yankee teammate Mickey Rivers snidely replied, "Out of what—a thousand?"
"Sure I played, did you think I was born age 70 sitting in a dugout trying to manage guys like you?" — Casey Stengel, to Mickey Mantle
14 Collision Course
Anyone who says baseball isn't a contact sport, clearly hasn't seen this particular photo. The man standing on 2nd base is Brandon Phillips, who is best known for a time as a Cincinnati Red. Phillips is 3-time All-Star, 4-time Gold Glove Award winner, and even captured the Silver Slugger Award back in 2011. The guy who is sliding headfirst into him is Jonathan Villar – a middle infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. Villar was actually Major League Baseball's stolen base leader in 2016 and appears to have gotten away with one here also – though he may still be regretting his decision to swipe the bag. This shot will likely bring back some painful memories for the speedy Brewer.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there?" ~ Larry Anderson (Former Major League Baseball Pitcher)
"The greatest feeling in the world is to win a major league game. The second-greatest feeling is to lose a major league game." ~ Chuck Tanner (Former American Major League Baseball Left Fielder and Manager)
"There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them work." ~ Charlie Lau (Former American Major League Baseball Catcher and Hitting Coach)
13 Fan Interference
Retired outfielder Scott Podsednik played for several teams over the course of his career. He is probably best remembered for his time as a Chicago White Sox. In fact, he helped the Sox win a World Series Championship in 2005 and was also named to the All-Star team that year. While White Sox fans likely appreciated Podsednik's play, the fan in this photo clearly did not. It's one thing to go for the foul ball, but punching a player in the face is taking fan interference to a whole nother level. While it isn't a good look for Scott Podsednik, it's probably the fan who should be embarrassed in this instance. This is an image that shows how dangerous the sports of baseball can be at times.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"As a nation, we are dedicated to keeping physically fit — and parking as close to the stadium as possible." — Bill Vaughan
"I walk into the clubhouse today, and it's like walking into the Mayo Clinic. We have four doctors, three therapists, and five trainers. Back when I broke in, we had one trainer who carried a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and by the 7th inning he'd already drunk it." —Tommy Lasorda
12 Keep Your Eye On The Ball
Having helped 2 MLB franchises, the Kansas City Royals and The Chicago Cubs, capture World Series titles in 2015 and 2016 respectively, Ben Zobrist has become one of the best-known utility players in the game. However, some fans may not realize that before he was helping teams win world titles, Zobrist made his big league debut as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. In fact, he made 2 All-Star appearances as a member of the Florida-based franchise. In this shot, it's difficult to tell what exactly is going on. However, the look on the former All-Star's face is a tad silly, to say the least. While it may not be his best look, it's always great to see a player who still knows how to have a little fun and not take things too seriously.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"If God wanted football played in the spring, he would not have invented baseball." ~ Sam Rutigliano (Former National Football League Head Coach)
"Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal." ~ George F. Will (American Newspaper Columnist, Writer, and Journalist)
11 Holaday Spirit
Many folks probably recognize the lovely young woman in this photo. For those who may not, it's supermodel Kate Upton, who is also the wife of pitching ace Justin Verlander. In this instance, we see the blonde starlet posing with one of Verlander's former Detroit Tiger's teammates, catcher Bryan Holaday. While one has to admire his effort, after seeing this photo, it's clear that the swimsuit modeling should probably be left to Upton. That being said, the catcher certainly got fans attention with his American flag-inspired one-piece bathing suit. It seems very unlikely that we'll be seeing Bryan Holiday on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition any time soon, though fans have to admire his sense of humor.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"In 1992, the Phillies acquired Michael Crouwel, a Dutch catching prospect who played on Holland's national team. When asked what he thought about the city of Philadelphia, Crouwel said: "The only thing I know about it is that it's in New Jersey."
"With his team behind 11-2 in the late innings, a batter stepped out of box, and carefully studied the 3rd base coach. NBC announcer, Tony Kubek, drolly remarked, "He's getting the 'hit the ball hard' sign."
10 Not Even Close
With baseball, perhaps more so than any other sport, it's all about the fundamentals. Keeping your eye on the ball, taking the time to make a good throw, and focusing on making the catch are all important skills to try and master. However, as we can see here, even the very best make a mistake or two, every now and then. In this image, we see a catcher for the Chicago Cubs taking a baseball to the face, while the Philadelphia Philly behind him slides safely into home plate. The catcher here seems to have misread the throw, as his glove appears to be about 3 feet below the ball. Plays at the plate can be tricky, so perhaps the pressure got the better of him in the instance. Whatever, the case may have been, the final results here were likely very painful.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn't score any runs."— Tim McCarver
"Two hours is about as long as any American can wait for the close of a baseball game....or anything else for that matter."—Albert Spalding (1850-1915), professional baseball player, manager, co-founder of Spalding sporting goods.
9 First Pitch
Many folks will likely recognize the former Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. The native of Newark was governor from January 19, 2010 through January 16, 2018. The Republican also ran for President in 2016, but failed win the primary election. Christie is known for being outspoken and having a larger than life personality. Here we see the politician delivering a ceremonial first pitch while proudly representing the New York Police Department. One has to admire his effort, but it's fair to say that Christie's game face and form could probably use a little work. That being said, it's hard to execute a perfect pitch while standing on the mound in front of millions of fans – especially if you're not a trained professional – so we'll have to cut the former Governor in a little slack in this case.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"Nothing flatters me more than to have it assumed that I could write prose-unless it be to have it assumed that I once pitched a baseball with distinction." ~ Robert Frost (Poet)
"I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it." ~ Sandy Koufax (Former American Major League Baseball Left-Handed Pitcher)
8 Way Off
The young lady on the pitcher's mounds in this photo is Monique Evans – Miss Texas 2014. The beauty queen also happens to have the distinction of throwing one of the worst ceremonial first pitches that Major League Baseball has ever seen – which is really saying something. As the photo helps to illustrate, the ball hit the grown almost immediately after leaving her hand and then proceeded to roll about 50 feet to the left of the Texas Rangers coach who was trying to catch it. In this instance, even the mascot couldn't help but laugh – though to be fair, his face is kind of stuck like that. While Evans looked fairly athletic and displayed some impressive flexibly after the ball was thrown – her chances of ever becoming a big league pitcher are fairly slim, based on this performance at least.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"The best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until the ball stops rolling and then pick it up." ~ Bob Uecker (Former American Major League Baseball Player)
"Us ballplayers do things backward. First we play, then we retire and go to work." — Charlie Gehringer
"Slump? I ain't in no slump. I just ain't" — Yogi Berra
7 Not That Close
Chase Headley is a 33-year-old 3rd baseman who is currently signed with the San Diego Padres . He was previously a member of the New York Yankees and won both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award during his time in the "Big Apple." Let's be honest, having a 95-mile-per-hour fastball headed anywhere in a person's general direction would be a frightening prospect for most. However, it's something MLB players deal with on a regular basis, which is one of things that make them such special athletes. That being said, in this shot, the ball looks to a good 3-feet from Headley's face, making the squinting seem a tad silly. Of course, getting hit in the face with a fastball is pretty serious stuff, so it's fairly easy to understand why the talented 3rd baseman wanted to be sure to avoid getting hit.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets." — Yogi Berra
"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." ~ Earl Wilson (Former American Major League Baseball Starting Pitcher)
"The funny thing about these uniforms is that you hang them in the closet and they get smaller and smaller." — Curt Flood
6 Fan Fun
For hardcore Major League Baseball fans, there are few things in the world that are better than getting to sit in the front row and rooting for your favorite franchise. However, there is also some potential danger involved when getting close to the action. Let us not forget, most baseball players are very large men. In fact, many players stand well over 6-feet tall and weigh over 200 pounds. This is why seeing a player charging in one's direction can be cause for alarm, as this photo demonstrates. Here we see the New York Yankees catcher colliding with a fan, while trying to catch a foul ball. However, the real star of this image is the gentleman pictured to the left of the player. That particular fan's facial expression is priceless and perhaps a bit too dramatic for what the situation warrants.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"The baseball mania has run its course. It has no future as a professional endeavor." — Cincinnati Gazette editorial, 1879
"Lasorda's standard reply when some new kid would ask directions to the whirlpool was to tell him to stick his foot in the toilet and flush it." — Steve Garvey
"Ninety percent of this game is half mental."— Yogi Berra
5 Munenori Kawasaki Face Plant
Munenori Kawasaki is a Japanese-born middle infielder who was a member of several MLB teams, before returning to his home country to continue his career in 2017. Kawasaki had an outstanding career in Nippon Professional Baseball (a Japaneese league) where he won several awards and had a .292 career batting average. However, he struggled in the States, batting just .237 as a part-time player. That being said, Kawasaki defiantly had some memorable moments in the majors, such as the one shown here –during his time with the Seattle Mariners. Diving for a ball can sometimes result in some fantastic highlight reel plays. Unfortunately, making the extra effort can also cause some embarrassing spills like the one highlighted in this pic. This probably isn't one of Kawasaki's favorite memories from his time in Seattle.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation."— Satchel Paige
" Well, it took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball, and I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."— Hank Aaron
"If a horse won't eat it, I don't want to play on it."— Dick Allen on artificial turf
4 Heads Up
Ian Kinsler is a 35-year-old second baseman who currently plays for the Los Angles Angels. However, he enjoyed the most success while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2006 to 2013. During his time in Texas, Kinsler became a 3-time All-Star and a member of baseball's prestigious 30-30 Club (hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases) on 2-separate occasions. Getting into the 30-30 clubs means a player will need to take some risks on the base paths, as the second baseman is doing in the photo. However, taking risks can also result in collisions such as the one shown here. In truth, this photo probably isn't the most embarrassing, but it certainly looks like one of the most painful shots to have been a part of on our list.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"You want proof that baseball players are smarter than football players? How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?"—Jim Bouton
"Don't call 'em dogs. Dogs are loyal and they run after balls."—1943 St. Louis Browns Manager Luke Sewell, responding to a sportswriter who suggested that his team had "played like dogs."
"If you don't succeed at first, try pitching." — Jack Harshman
3 Ouch!
If you are a professional baseball player, it's important to be paying attention to the game at all times. However, some folks may not realize that fans also need to stay focused on what's happening or it can result in unfortunate mishaps such as the one seen in this photo. One might think that foul balls are what most fan's need to keep an eye out for. That being said, as this photo clearly demonstrates, foul bats can also be very hazardous. This poor guy didn't even get a chance to put his hands up or duck and ended up having to take a nasty shot to the jaw. Perhaps there is such a thing as being too close to action as this shot demonstrates.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"There's a thin line between genius and insanity, and in Larry's case it was so thin you could see him drifting back and forth across it." - Brooklyn Dodger Manager Leo Durocher, on team executive Larry MacPhail
"Things could be worse. Suppose your errors were counted and published every day, like those of a baseball player." -Author Unknown
"You know you're pitching well when the batters look as bad as you do at the plate." -Duke Snider (Former Major League Baseball Center Fielder)
2 Forgot To Call It
With the majority of our photos focusing on Major League Baseball, we didn't want softball to feel totally left out. Here we have two ladies who seem to have forgotten the number rule when fielding fly balls –call it in the air. The poor girl with her back facing the camera appears to be on the receiving end of WWE-style clothesline at the hands of her teammate. What makes this image particularly unfortunate is the fact that neither player ended up catching the ball. One has to admire the hustle these athletes showed in trying to make the catch, even if the results ended up being somewhat embarrassing.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"When he was just starting out, Jim Leyland told his mom he might be forced to leave the organization because there was no spot for him: "Alex Grammas is third base coach, and Dick Tracewski is first base coach," he said, "and neither guy is going anywhere." His mom thought a moment, then politely asked, "Who's the second base coach?"
" I think I throw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just doesn't get there as fast."— Eddie Bane
"Trying to sneak a pitch past Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster."— Joe Adcock
1 The Dangers Of Bunting
35-year-old Rickie Weeks is a free agent infielder who most recently played for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers for the majority of his career where he became an All-Star in 2011 and also won the prestigious Golden Spikes Awards in 2003. In 2005, he was even voted "Sexiest Baseball Player "by Cosmopolitan Magazine. Unfortunately, there isn't anything sexy at all about this shot. In a photo that is both slightly embarrassing and a bit scary – the former Brewer gets hit right in the face with baseball. Images like this remind us how dangerous baseball can truly be. Fortunately, Weeks was able to continue his career after the incident.
Baseball's Funniest Quotes:
"This exchange occurred between Cleveland Indians broadcaster Herb Score and his radio partner Nev Chandler. Chandler: "That base-hit makes Cecil Cooper 19 for 42 against Tribe pitching." Score: "I'm not good at math, but even I know that's over .500."
"Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical." ~ Yogi Berra (Former American Major League Baseball Outfielder, Catcher, and Manager)
"Baseball is almost the only orderly thing in a very unorderly world. If you get three strikes, even the best lawyer in the world can't get you off." ~ Bill Veeck (Former Franchise Owner and Promoter in Major League Baseball)
Source: https://www.thesportster.com/baseball/funny-moments-history-mlb-baseball/
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