MLB Spring Training: 15 Most Hilarious Moments in Spring Training History

MLB spring training camps are laid back compared to most professional environments.

Hilarious fun and absurd stories are uncensored and made public.

Enjoy examples of each in the following slides.

The regular season spans more than a dozen states and six months of the year and barely matches the entertainment that Arizona and Florida provide in six short weeks!

The hijinks are easier to follow in the 21st century because social media leaves nothing unreported.

Rest assured, though, that spring training has always brought out the craziness in MLB players, coaches and fans.

Hughie Jennings Dives into an Empty Pool (1909)

Let's rewind 100-plus years to Hughie Jennings, a player-manager with the Detroit Tigers.

His intention was to cool off in a local pool following an exhibition against the New York Giants.

He dove in without hesitation, only to come to the painful realization that the pool had been emptied.

It was like a sequence straight out of Looney Tunes!

Babe Ruth Gets Sick (1925)

World-renowned slugger Babe Ruth sandwiched a miserable 1925 campaign in between MVP-caliber seasons.

He was ill from the start of the spring and nobody except Ruth knew exactly why. And nothing has been confirmed since.

All theoretical explanations reflect poorly on his lifestyle.

Perhaps he had eaten a few too many hot dogs and suffered a debilitating bellyache.

Other observers suggested that his symptoms were typical of someone battling alcohol poisoning. After all, drinks were concocted in unconventional ways during Prohibition.

If either case is true, then Ruth's 1925 "struggles"—.290 BA, 25 HR, 66 RBI in 98 games was a massive slump by his standards—stemmed from a single crazy night in Florida.

Frank Thomas Catches Willie Mays...Barehanded (1962)

Who among today's stars is as tough as former New York Met Frank Thomas?

The three-time All-Star is remembered for his barehanded catching ability. He never needed a glove to cushion his palm, regardless of the velocity on an incoming throw.

Future Hall of Famer Willie Mays was skeptical in the 1962 preseason and challenged Thomas' reputation.

Mays put $100 on the line before firing from 60'6" away. Thomas caught the baseball cleanly.

Mays revised his bet, lowering it to $10 and requesting an opportunity to warm up beforehand.

Thomas permitted the changes. Same result, though.

Jay Johnstone Drinks "Urine" (1976)

Outfielder Jay Johnstone was admittedly fed up with drug tests in Philadelphia Phillies camp in 1976.

He decided to lighten the mood by replacing his urine sample with apple juice of a similar shade.

The woman accepting the sample was immediately suspicious.

So Johnstone drank it in front of her.

Ken Griffeys in Seattle Mariners Camp Together (1991)

The image of a father-son game of catch is an American classic.

But sharing an MLB roster with your old man? That's awkward.

The Ken Griffeys co-existed through one spring training with the Seattle Mariners. It was 1991 when the Kid was a rising star and Griffey Sr. was squeezing out every bit of baseball he had left.

The M's clubhouse must have been a laugh riot with all the teasing that surely came at Dad's expense.

Michael Jordan Signs Contract with Chicago White Sox (1994)

The events that prompted NBA legend Michael Jordan to pursue a career in baseball weren't funny at all.

His father suddenly passed away. Jordan was honoring him by making a run at the majors.

His workout with the Chicago White Sox in December 1993 was somewhat newsworthy, but the situation became absolutely absurd when the team offered Jordan a contract a few months later.

That's when it sunk in that the world's top basketball player could just pick a bat off the rack and contend for an MLB roster despite many years of rust.

The message was, "Kids, don't practice. Just be like Mike!"

It was funny for an entirely different reason once summer began. Never had such a phenomenal athlete like Jordan looked so vulnerable on the field of play (he went on to bat .202 with a .556 OPS for the Double-A Birmingham Barons).

Randy Johnson Murders a Dove (2001)

Fierce left-handed pitcher Randy Johnson relied on a unique combination of velocity and intimidation to thrive in the majors.

The Big Unit was already in his late thirties at the time of this incident, but still challenging hitters with plenty of both (he was coming off consecutive NL Cy Young Awards, in fact).

You could say the exploding dove was fortunate.

Not because it died, of course. That's terrible. All it wanted was to see Johnson pitch up close. The animal was so innocent, and its fate, truly tragic.

Anyway, this bird was "lucky" because it was hit in spring training, a period when players aren't yet at full strength.

It was clunked with only a 95 mile-per-hour fastball. At triple digits, they would not have been able to identify the body!

Tim Hudson Scares Eddie Perez (2005)

Eddie Perez was set up for a surprise by Atlanta Braves teammates and a camera crew pretending to show interest in his spring training home.

Starting pitcher Tim Hudson may have scared him out of the majors by leaping out of the closet with his Scream mask.

Perez would total a mere 39 plate appearances before retiring after the 2005 season.

Rick Ankiel Quits Pitching (2005)

As a rookie in 2000, Rick Ankiel flaunted more hitting ability than the average starting pitcher, slugging two home runs and maintaining a .250 batting average.

This, of course, was just a supplement to his extraordinary work on the mound.

Unfortunately, his career veered off its promising course in his first playoff game. Ankiel was unable to throw strikes in what can only be described as a nationally-televised meltdown.

Four-and-a-half years later, he ruled out an MLB pitching career.

Instead of retiring, he explained that he was converting into a full-time position player.

We know now Ankiel as a rangy center fielder with a terrific throwing arm and respectable left-handed power.

But St. Louis Cardinals fans were quietly giggling at his optimism in March 2005.

48-Year-Old Julio Franco Homers (2007)

It was truly a pleasure to watch the final act of Julio Franco.

After turning 40, he revived his career as a prominent bench player for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.

Franco entered 2007 with expectations of sticking around until his 50th birthday.

It would sadly be his final season, but he was fighting to prove his worth in spring training.

On March 27, he launched a solo home run against Jerome Williams of the Washington Nationals, his only extra-base hit in 50-plus plate appearances during camp.

Although the game was being played on the road, he received a warm ovation and more replays on SportsCenter than any other preseason action deserves.

Kyle Kendrick Traded to the Yomiuri Giants (2008)

Have you ever seen such a complex baseball prank executed so perfectly?

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick was told that he was being traded to Japan's Yomiuri Giants by manager Charlie Manuel in February 2008.

He signed paperwork to make the deal "official" and was told to pack up his belongings for a flight the following morning.

Several reporters met him in the locker room to get his reaction.

Teammate Brett Myers finally put an end to the torture when it was obvious that Kendrick was fully believing it.

Brawl Between New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays (2008)

There are several obvious differences between exhibition baseball and midsummer contests.

For example, starters are pulled from games after a few innings and ties are acceptable in the preseason.

Good. So we've established that nobody cares enough to compete in spring training...right?

Yet in March 2008, a brawl broke out between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays.

Shelley Duncan was the antagonist, sliding into second baseman Akinori Iwamura with his spikes high.

He was subsequently tackled by outfielder Jonny Gomes!

A total of five individuals, including Duncan and Gomes, were ejected on that day. I'll bet that is a spring training record.

Billy Crystal, the 60-Year-Old Rookie (2008)

Billy Crystal is a critically acclaimed actor and comedian. He is also a former New York Yankee.

His longtime favorite franchise presented him with a one-day contract on his 60th birthday in March 2008. Better late than never, I suppose.

The training staff must have been satisfied with his physical because Crystal came to bat during an actual spring training game.

And what an at-bat it was!

He ultimately struck out against Paul Maholm of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but not before solidly fouling off a pitch down the first-base line.

He impressed all of us by simply making contact. It was a hilarious moment as soon as he stepped to the plate.

Crystal's debut came just one day after the Shelley Duncan-Jonny Gomes incident.

Hideki Matsui Marries Woman in Drawing (2008)

Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui leads a private life, but his marriage announcement was ridiculous.

He did not bring her down to spring training in 2008 or even reveal her identity.

Rather, he held up a sketch of his new wife and spoke of her professional accomplishments "in a reputable position at a highly-respected company."

The public did find out, however, that their had been an ongoing wager between New York Yankees Bobby Abreu, Derek Jeter and Matsui.

The pressing issue was which of the three would wed first.

Baseball is thankfully a game of immigrants from countless cultures, or else we would be deprived of such an unusual press conference.

A.J. Burnett Bunts Ball into Eye (2012)

Even through his recent struggles, A.J. Burnett had been remarkably durable. He was last placed on the disabled list in 2007.

However, the great health of his right arm turned out to be a curse for the New York Yankees. Especially since 2010, management had been dying for an excuse to bump him out of the rotation.

Now a Pittsburgh Pirate, Burnett injured himself in 2012 (accidentally, of course).

It figures that his bunting was a little rusty having spent several seasons in the American League.

He fractured the orbital bone his right eye on this attempt and is projected to miss a couple months.

Burnett can still contribute without taking the mound.

Imagine him outfitted in an eye patch. That accessory would make him the perfect Pirates mascot!

Regardless of your MLB affiliation, you can't refute the hilarity of Burnett's situation.

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