Major League Baseball is enjoying a resurgent season as more human beings are enjoying a faster-paced sport. It's the feel-good story of the year. Except for the poor birds, who keep flying into the wrong place at the wrong time and getting killed by baseballs.
Cleveland Guardians rightfielder Will Brennan became the second player to accidentally snuff out avian life in the past month the other night when he rocketed a line drive into a bird in a clearly marked no loitering zone.
Clearly affected by the experience, Brennan found a touching way to honor the fallen animal last night after blasting a homer. As he approached third base, he pantomimed a majestic bird flying away, perhaps like a phoenix from the ashes of scorched exit velocity.
There was hardly a dry eye in the stadium. Because as we know from Prince lyrics and general science, birds cry human-like tears.
The new study found both similarities and differences to human tears that could be key to veterinary treatments and eye disease. Although the tears of mammals like dogs and horses are more similar to humans, there are similar amounts of electrolyte fluid in the tears of birds, reptiles and humans (but birds and reptiles had slightly higher concentrations than humans).
The Guardians are just a few games back in the American League Central. If the do make a run at history, the should definitely have an Office-like ceremony for the bird and give it a World Series ring.
This article was originally published on thebiglead as Will Brennan Honors Life of Bird He Killed During Home Run Trot.
