You read that right.
Major League Baseball has had a major revamp this year with many different rule changes, but there is no bigger shakeup than the one being caused by an intrusive possum out in Oakland, California.
According to Front Office Sports, the Oakland Athletics opposing team’s broadcast booth has been unusable due to a rather long (and questionable) reign of terror by a possum living in the announcer’s box:
“MLB teams visiting the Oakland A’s have been unable to use the visiting broadcast booth. A possum is ‘living inside its walls,’ and has been since last season.”
That is incredible.
The possum has that much power to just take over an MLB broadcast booth? Have the Oakland Athletics ever heard of the government service called Animal Control?
The A’s have long been known for trying to find ways to get by on a budget (you’ve probably seen or at least heard of the movie Moneyball), but it is fascinating that they can’t figure out how to take care of a possum that has set up shop in their baseball stadium.
Plus, it has been living in there since LAST SEASON.
They had an entire offseason to handle it, but apparently just kicked the can down the road. I guess they were hoping that it would wander off on its own, or grow tired of the terrible baseball product that the A’s produce and leave like most of their fans do.
Apparently it is being considered a “rally possum,” but that just sounds to me like a lazy marketing shift. Sounds like they said “well we can’t get rid of the thing, let’s just say it is our new mascot.”
However, it is mainly only bothering the visiting teams, so maybe it makes sense not to be incredibly hospitable to their opponent?
The Met’s broadcast booth reported that:
“The ‘rally possum’ living at Oakland Coliseum made an appearance in the booth during the A’s-Angles on Opening Day.
Teams have been unable to use the booth since.”
I would love to hear the audio from the opening day game when the visiting announcers were probably in the middle of calling a deep shot to right field and then screamed “Oh Posssum! (had to do it, sorry)” during the broadcast.
You have to listen to this snippet from the Mets announcers below because, like most of this story, it is unbelievable.
The “rally possum” living at Oakland Coliseum made an appearance in the booth during A’s-Angels on Opening Day.
Teams have been unable to use the booth since, the Mets’ broadcast team says:pic.twitter.com/Ex3PdVpGCv
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 15, 2023
Seems like the whole thing is a hilarious premise for a sitcom, and it turns out that it was 13 years ago.
If you are a Parks and Recreation fan, you may remember the episode revolving around the town’s villainous possum “Fairway Frank,” who was terrorizing golfers on the golf course.
It is one of the most iconic episodes from the series:
And as for the reaction from the internet regarding the Possum taking over the Oakland A’s broadcast booth, social media is doing its thing:
Give it a mic!
— Cody Laurendi (@CLaurendi23) April 15, 2023
Time for the As to move lol
— Alex (@GreatRajsel) April 15, 2023
— Man About Town (M.A.T.) (@flubby) April 15, 2023
