For people who collect sports cards, there can be an unusual story that goes with a piece of cardboard. It’s not always about money.
Baseball fans may remember when Randy Johnson accidentally killed a bird while pitching in an exhibition game for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001.
Although it was an incredible site to see, it wasn’t the first time an animal met its fate during a sporting event.
During the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1975, Jim Lorentz of the Buffalo Sabres became known as “Batman” for a good reason. Prior to a face-off during the second period of game three against the Philadelphia Flyers, Lorentz killed a bat that had made its presence known throughout the contest with one swing of his stick.
That contest in Buffalo was also known as the Fog Game, where fans couldn’t see the action on the ice. According to several sources, the fog appeared after the bat incident and was caused by the temperature outside and an air conditioning issue inside.
The Sabres would go on to win that game on an overtime goal by Rene Robert, but the Flyers would eventually take the series in six contests.
Started in Boston
Lorentz began his career with the Boston Bruins in the 1968-1969 season.
The following year, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup as Lorentz scored seven goals and had 16 assists in 68 contests.
Traded to the St. Louis Blues prior to 1970-1971, Lorentz was sent to the New York Rangers early in the next season.
The Rangers then shipped him to the Sabres where he finished the season. He ended his career with Buffalo in 1977-1978 and he finished with 134 goals and 197 assists.
With 25 goals and 45 assists for 70 points, Lorentz had the best season of his career in 1974-1975 as the Sabres reached the finals for the first time in club history. Buffalo’s only other appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals was in 1998-1999 when the Sabres fell to the Dallas Stars.
After his career, Lorentz joined the Sabres broadcast team where he spent 26 years.
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