For once, the most frightening sight at Citi Field had nothing to do with the New York Mets’ performance on the diamond.
Fans attending a recent game in Flushing got an unexpected visit from beneath the stands when the clawed hand of a raccoon suddenly appeared through a small hole in the floor. The animal apparently wasn’t interested in baseball. It was looking for dinner.
Video recorded by a Mets fan captured the strange scene as the raccoon reached through the opening and began collecting discarded peanut shells near one of the seats.
Only the animal’s paw was visible, making the whole thing look less like an ordinary wildlife encounter and more like something from underneath the floorboards in a horror movie.
Mets Fans Offer the Mystery Visitor a Hot Dog
Fans gathered around the hole with a mix of shock, disgust, and curiosity as the raccoon kept fishing around for food.
Then somebody decided to raise the stakes.
One person offered the hidden visitor a hot dog, holding it near the opening to see what would happen. The raccoon promptly grabbed the food and pulled it down through the hole.
Apparently, ballpark concessions are hard to resist even when you don’t have a ticket.
As bizarre as the encounter might have seemed, raccoons showing up at Citi Field are not entirely unheard of. The stadium sits next to the former site of a scrap yard, and the animals have occasionally made surprise appearances around the ballpark.
Citi Field Has Seen Raccoons Before
One particularly memorable incident happened during a rain-soaked game last May. As heavy rain came down, a raccoon raced up a set of steps in the stands while apparently trying to escape the deluge.
Fans had a very different idea.
Instead of sharing shelter with the soaked animal, spectators quickly moved out of its path as it scrambled through the seating area.
The latest raccoon sighting also provided an easy target for jokes considering the Mets’ difficult season.
New York sits dead last in the National League East and has posted one of the worst records in Major League Baseball despite carrying one of the sport’s largest payrolls. That combination has given frustrated Mets fans plenty to complain about without wildlife reaching through the stadium floor.
Mets Finally Find Some Relief on the Field
There has, however, been at least a little relief recently. The Mets have won five of their last six games, a stretch that included a sweep of the Washington Nationals.
For now, things on the field look slightly less alarming. Under the seats, though, fans may want to keep a close eye on their hot dogs.
