An NBA game was interrupted Saturday night as the San Antonio Spurs’ Coyote mascot, dressed in a Batman costume, chased a bat around the arena, as the PA system played the old Batman TV series theme song.
If that scene sounds too bizarre to be true, sorry, it really happened, during the Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Players noticed a bat flying around in the first quarter, leading to a stoppage in play.
Enter the Spurs’ Coyote mascot, wearing a Batman costume. The Coyote chased the bat around in circles before impressively nabbing the little creature with a net.
The Spurs mascot is back in his Batman costume trying to catch a wild bat around the arena 😂😂😂
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) January 28, 2024
If you’re wondering why the Spurs had a Batman costume on hand for their mascot, it’s because this has happened many times before. Here’s an incident from 2015.
the spurs' mascot is an american hero pic.twitter.com/gOVsZ2uij0
— jack (@jackhaveitall) December 29, 2015
As a matter of fact, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was said to be looking around Saturday night for team executive Manu Ginóbili, who as a player during a 2009 game knocked down, picked up and carried away a bat. On Halloween, no less.
Manu..wasn’t quick enough tonight pic.twitter.com/Q1kx3TJyNQ
— ImJustMeAbel (@ImJustMeAbel) January 28, 2024
So the Spurs, who play in a city where bats are everywhere — one cave alone in town has 15 million bats — have learned to live with stray bats during games.
Hopefully, superstar rookie Victor Wembanyama knows what to expect in that regard.
The moment Victor Wembanyama noticed the bat inside the arena 😂
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 28, 2024
Not all NBA fans are familiar with the Spurs’ bat history, either, leading to some very puzzled reactions on X/Twitter Saturday night.
Most people who experience the Spurs bats for the first time ask: “everyone just sits around and watches a mascot dressed in a batman costume chase it?”
The answer is yes. You’d want an experienced professional handling this, wouldn’t you?
“Year 21” isnt just for LeBron. pic.twitter.com/H4Xwiw2Ei4
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 28, 2024
Is this sh!t scripted ? Why is the coyote wearing a Batman costume while trying to catch a bat LMAOOOOO
— Spurs Central (@SASpursCentral) January 28, 2024
There’s no way the spurs staged a bat mid game. Your telling me the mascot had a bat man costume ready with bat man music???? This had to be staged. They HAD to have the bat and released it mid game on purpose
— WolvesShowYo (@WolvesShowYo) January 28, 2024
The Spurs’ tradition of sending Coyote out there with a net and a Batsuit when there’s a loose bat in the arena while the Adam West theme plays is one of the best things in all of sports. I love this team. pic.twitter.com/f00BeMH9ON
— Preston Moore, M.A. (@prestoncmoore) January 28, 2024
[Clutch Points; Photo Credit: Bally Sports]
