Tuesday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks was delayed for nearly two hours. The cause of the delay? Bees.
A swarm of bees gathered around one portion of the safety netting behind home plate at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz.
We are in a…bee delay? Bee for real. pic.twitter.com/vI4J6vjQUJ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 1, 2024
The Dodgers-Dbacks game is in a delay due to a swarm of bees pic.twitter.com/SxansNG1op
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 1, 2024
Given that the bees potentially threatened the safety of fans in the crowd, the grounds crew was tasked with the issue before allowing the game to begin.
The delay lasted for over an hour and a half, which would have been enough time to watch the 2007 cult classic “Bee Movie” to pass the time.
The delay will have lasted just under two hours, meaning you could have watched the entirety of "Bee Movie" during the delay https://t.co/f3u6VjkvwB pic.twitter.com/1CWxtms4d1
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) May 1, 2024
The Diamondbacks eventually got local bee specialist Matt Hilton to deal with the problem. The Chase Field staff fittingly played the 1984 hit “Holding Out For A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler while Hilton got to work.
Go to work, King! pic.twitter.com/vKu3DShZYv
— Adam Waltz (@Adam_Waltz) May 1, 2024
Regardless of the outcome of the Diamondbacks-Dodgers contest, Hilton automatically became the big winner of the evening. The bee keeper received MVP chants and even threw out the first pitch of the ballgame.
🐝🐝MUST SEE🐝🐝
– Bees delay Dodgers – Diamondbacks game 🐝
– Bee keeper comes in & removes the bees🐝
– then the bee keeper throws out the ceremonial first pitch!!!🐝
BEE MAN FOR MVP!!!🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 pic.twitter.com/RjVpIwX7CZ
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) May 1, 2024
The father of four was built for the spotlight based on how he played to the crowd after dealing with the bee fiasco.
The @Dbacks rewarded beekeeper Matt Hilton with a ceremonial first pitch!
He is pure electricity. pic.twitter.com/We6hMwOgBJ
— MLB (@MLB) May 1, 2024
Tuesday’s bee delay was one Hilton — and the fans in attendance — will surely never forget.
