In June of 2006, the zany mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates, The Pirate Parrot, paid a surprise visit to Brookline Park and Sam Bryen Fields. The unexpected guest arrived in a limosine that caught the eye of most people mingling in the park. The car pulled up to the ballfield entrance, the door opened, and out popped the Parrot.

The unexpected appearance had most people stunned, and the kids rushed to meet the overstuffed bird. The Parrot mingled with fans near the front entranceway, then made its way to the baseball, then the softball field. The Avian Anomaly took a turn at the plate on both stops. After a weak at bat on the baseball diamond that resulted in a foul for the fowl, the Parrot moved on to the softball scene.

The girls dished up a sweet one and the Parrot hit the ball into the gap. As the outfielders ran towards the fence to field the ball, the feathered fowl circled the bases, it's oversized feet kicking up a trail of dust, for an inside-the-park homerun. Go Bird!

After a couple personal photo ops, the Parrot retired to his private stretch-birdcage and flew the coup, but not before giving the parents and children of the Brookline Little League a night to remember.

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* Photos taken by Shawn McMahon *