New York Mets fans attending a recent baseball game at Citi Field in Flushing were left stunned when a raccoon living under the grandstand reached through the floor to grab food.
Video recorded by one supporter captured the moment the clawed hand of the animal emerged through a tiny hole beneath a seat to snack on leftover peanut shells. Onlookers expressed shock and concern as the critter scavenged for food under the seats during the game.
Driven by curiosity, one spectator offered a hot dog to the creature through the opening, which the animal gladly accepted and pulled down out of sight.
Raccoon sightings at Flushing ballpark
Citi Field, located in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York City, serves as the home ballpark for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball. The venue was constructed adjacent to the former site of an industrial scrap yard, which has since been demolished.
Because of the location, wild raccoons have become a familiar sight around the facility, occasionally popping their heads up to make unexpected appearances in spectator areas.
The recent sighting is not the first time a raccoon has disrupted a game at the ballpark. Last year, during a rain-soaked ballgame in May, a raccoon raced up the grandstand steps to escape a heavy deluge, causing frightened fans to flee their seats.
Mets struggle despite major payroll
The unexpected rodent encounter offered fans a brief diversion from what has been a difficult season on the field. The Mets, historically nicknamed the Amazin's, are dead last in the National League East division and carry one of the worst records in Major League Baseball this year.
Despite carrying one of the highest payrolls in professional baseball, the club has struggled to deliver results. However, the team has shown recent signs of improvement on the field, winning five of its last six games, a stretch that included a sweep of division rivals the Washington Nationals.
