There’s nothing better than the home team winning an NBA Championship, World Cup, or Super Bowl. Countries rally behind the hometown hero or team going for the gold medal at the Olympics. The only thing better than your favorite team winning is a hilarious sport fail.
Funny moments in sports are a staple of all sports. Some moments are so amusing that they’re still hilarious years later. They become etched in time along with the most extraordinary moments. A simple blooper does more than make a few people laugh. At least these world-famous athletes found a way to make the highlight reel.
1. Kobe Bryant Ignores Chris Rock
During the 2010 NBA Championship finals, Kobe Bryant led the Los Angeles Lakers to victory against the Boston Celtics. During one of the finals games, a funny moment happened when Bryant ignored comedian Chris Rock after taking a seat on the bench.
Rock and comedian David Spade scored front-row seats right next to the Lakers bench. Rock pulled out his A-material, trying to make Bryant laugh when sitting beside him. Bryant remained in the zone and didn’t even crack a smile. Rock trying to make Bryant laugh is one of the funniest sports highlights.
2. The Fan Man Interrupts Fight
On November 6, 1993, Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe were battling over the WBA and IBF Championships in a highly anticipated fight. During the seventh round, “Fan Man” James Miller crashed into the ring resulting in one of the sport’s funniest and most chaotic moments.
Miller’s stunt started with him paragliding for ten minutes inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. His equipment tangled in the lights as he descended to the ring. Fans and security attacked Miller once he crash-landed, knocking him unconscious. Authorities charged Miller after he received medical attention.
3. Boy’s Marriage Proposal To Emma Raducanu
During an intense tennis match on November 28, 2021, seven-year-old Leo Franky couldn’t let his crush slip away without a marriage proposal. She just so happens to be tennis star Emma Raducanu.
As Royal Albert Hall came to a hush, Franky asked Raducanu to marry him. The adorable moment got a huge laugh from everyone in attendance, including Raducanu. It also gained a large number of views online, although poor Franky didn’t get the answer he was hoping for.
4. Ball Rolls Between Bill Buckner’s Legs
In 1986, Boston Red Sox fans hoped their beloved team could break the famous curse of the Bambino. Unfortunately, the curse reared its ugly head, resulting in the funniest moment in Major League Baseball that year. Well, funny to everyone but Red Sox fans and first baseman Bill Buckner.
In Game 6, the Sox led 5-3 in the bottom of the tenth. It looked like Boston was finally going to break the curse until Buckner famously missed a slow-moving ground ball that passed between his legs. The error resulted in the New York Mets winning Game 6 and eventually the World Series. Boston fans hated Buckner for years until the Sox broke the curse in 2004.
5. Squirrel Scores Touchdown
A squirrel stole the show during a non-conference game between Kent State and Louisville on September 23, 2017. During the second quarter, the squirrel appeared on the 45-yard line. With both teams in a huddle, the squirrel broke away and ran for the end zone like it was playing in the Super Bowl. The fans and media inside Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium erupted with cheers when the squirrel scored a touchdown in a very amusing moment.
6. Steve Lyons Pulls Down His Pants
Steve Lyons has many impressive accomplishments in his life, but few would rank pulling down his pants as one. Lyons had a reputation for his eccentric personality which gained the nickname “Psycho.” Well, a new nickname was on the horizon.
On July 16, 1990, Lyons slid into first base off a bunt. In the process, he got dirt all over the place. Naturally, he tried to clean it off, which included pulling his pants down in front of thousands of fans in Tiger Stadium and millions watching at home. He quickly pulled his pants up, but it was too late. The cat was out of the bag so to speak. The blooper dominated the airways and Lyons became an overnight sensation. He also got a new nickname, “Moon Man.”
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7. Phoenix Sun Gorilla Mascot Saves the Day
In 2017, the Phoenix Suns took on the Washington Wizards in a game when an incident occurred near the end of the fourth quarter. From out of nowhere the Phoenix Sun Gorilla mascot slid onto the court to grab a drumstick that a fan had thrown onto the court during the game.
The funny moment caught everyone off guard, but it turned out the mascot was the game’s hero, saving the players from tripping on the piece of chicken.
8. Rodney McCray Runs Through Outfield Fence
Rodney McCray will go down in baseball history, just not how he dreamt. McCray had a short stint in the Major Leagues but played mainly in the minors, notably for the Vancouver Canadians. McCray is best known for being in one of baseball’s funniest bloopers.
On May 27, 1991, McCray ran to catch a hit on the outfield of present-day Providence Park in Portland, Oregon. McCray caught the ball but then crashed through the outfield fence. The hilarious blooper remains one of the funniest moments in baseball and is played each year at the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s even become a popular Internet meme and kept McCray’s name in the spotlight.
9. Sam Maxwell Knocks Out an Overconfident Fighter
French boxer Sabri Sediri learned an important lesson the hard way back in 2019 – brag once the fight’s over and not a second before.
Sediri dominated his boxing match against Sam Maxwell for all ten rounds, delivering savage punches to his opponent’s head and body, With only 15 seconds left, Sediri was confident he’d win so he decided to mock Maxwell by dropping his hands. Maxwell took advantage and knocked out Sediri in his most embarrassing loss.
10. Don Mattingly Eats Fans Popcorn
The great thing about baseball is when players interact with fans. On September 16, 1992, Don Mattingly took off to catch a foul ball. He didn’t have a chance to catch the ball, so he stopped for a snack instead.
As Mattingly got to the fence, he reached into a fan’s bag of popcorn. At first, the fan was too distracted by the foul ball but soon realized Mattingly had grabbed a handful.
11. Jim Marshall Runs the Wrong the Way
Minnesota Vikings’ Jim Marshall had a decorated career setting several records. Unfortunately for Marshall, he’s best remembered for one of the NFL’s funniest moments. On October 25, 1964, Marshall acted quickly when he recovered a fumble by the San Francisco 49ers. Marshall snatched up the ball and sprinted 66 yards toward the end zone. Well, it turns out that Marshall ran in the wrong direction to his own end zone.
Instead of scoring a touchdown for his team, it was a safety for the 49ers. Luckily the Vikings pulled out the victory in the end. On the plane ride home, Marshall’s teammates teased him for the error. He told the Minneapolis StarTribune, “They kept telling me to get up in the cockpit and fly the plane. That way, we’d end up in Hawaii instead of Minnesota.”
12. Fastball Kills Dove
The death of an animal is never funny, however, it’s hard not to giggle at the odd circumstances that resulted in the death of a dove in one of baseball’s most surreal moments.
During Spring training in 2011, the Mariners met the San Francisco Giants. As pitcher Randy Johnson prepared for his pitch, a dove flew into his pitching zone. Nobody saw the dove until its feathers exploded after the ball made contact. Rest in peace poor pigeon.