In the middle of a recent live basketball game, the San Antonio Spurs mascot had to catch an actual real, live bat… while dressed as Batman.
During the 1st quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Spurs had an uninvited guest: a bat. The creature was flying around the court- interrupting the game. Fortunately, the Spurs had a hero… possibly not a hero that they deserved, but the hero that they needed.
The team mascot, the Coyote, ran out into the court armed with a butterfly net while fully dressed in Batman regalia. The Coyote (that is the mascot’s actual name) took a couple of swings of the butterfly net before capturing the flying mammal.
To make things even more hilarious, the arena actually blasted the Batman 1966 theme song over the loudspeakers while Coyote was catching the bat.
…aaaand there’s a bat 😂 pic.twitter.com/ERIBne3E1P
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) January 28, 2024
Soon after his victory, Spurs shooting guard Devin Vassell returned to the court to hug Bat-Coyote on his latest capture.
The Spurs’ Bat-History
What’s most interesting is that this is hardly the San Antonio Spurs’ first bat encounter. In 2009, their Halloween-scheduled game was stopped because of a bat. Fortunately, Spurs player Manu Ginobili smacked it out of the air. In 2011, another bat incident stopped the game. Their 2019 season saw three games delayed due to bats.
Is it possible that the Spurs’ Frost Bank Center arena is built on top of an empty bat cave, like Wayne Manor? I jest, of course, but there is one about 25 miles south of it. The Bracken Cave reportedly houses 15 million bats.
It’s really amusing to imagine the Coyote training, honing his bat-catching skills in the off-season. Or maybe the mascot was sitting around the arena’s waiting area one evening when a bat crashed through the window-inspiring him to wear the symbol of the bat.
“Yes, Father. I shall become the bat.”
Incidentally, the Spurs won the game that evening. Perhaps it’s because they had a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A Dark Knight looking over them.
Source: theatheltic.com
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