​Toronto, ON – JULY 25 – The actual baseball that Dave Winfield threw that killed a seagull on a reproduction of the front page of the Toronto Star, showing Winfield’s reaction and ball boy Jeff Pinchuk retrieving the bird with a towel. Thirty years ago on August 4, 1983, Dave Winfield threw a baseball that killed a seagull at Exhibition Stadium. He was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals by police officer Wayne Hartery who personally believes it was intentional act. (Chris So/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images 43 Years Ago TodayOn this day at Exhibition Stadium, Dave Winfield accidentally threw a ball that struck and killed a seagull during a game.At first glance, it sounds like the setup for a joke.During the bottom of the fifth inning, Winfield tossed his warm-up ball toward the dugout, inadvertently hitting a seagull and killing it.Anyone who remembers Exhibition Stadium knows how much seagulls flocked to the place.Debate swirled over whether Winfield acted intentionally. I once thought he might have aimed at the bird, but surely he assumed it would fly away. Hitting it from 80 feet required remarkable—if accidental—precision.His manager, Billy Martin, quipped, “That’s the first time Winfield’s hit the cutoff man all year.”Strangely, after the game, Winfield was arrested for causing “unnecessary suffering of an animal.” It’s unclear what the police were thinking—perhaps they disliked the Yankees as much as I do, but I wouldn’t have arrested him. Winfield was taken to the police station, and Pat Gullick paid his $500 bail for his release.The following day, the charges were dropped. The crown attorney explained, “It is always a key issue to find criminal intent, and I am satisfied there was none here.”Before the police arrived, Winfield’s teammates teased him about the incident. Afterward, however, the mood changed. As Billy Martin put it:“I’ll tell you one thing. We will get their four starting pitchers arrested when Toronto comes down to New York next week. We will have somebody call the police and say they were molested in the hotel.”That comment tells you everything you need to know about Billy Martin.Paul Godfrey even traveled to New York to apologize to Winfield in person.An autopsy revealed the seagull was already unwell before being struck, explaining why it didn’t avoid the ball. It was expected to die within the next couple of weeks regardless.The following winter, Winfield visited Toronto with a painting depicting seagulls flying and a red maple tree, which he auctioned to raise $32,000 for Easter Seals.The Yankees won 3-1. Dave Stieb went the distance for Toronto, allowing six hits, three runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. Shane Rawley earned the win for New York, also pitching a complete game.Winfield finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.37 Years Ago TodayDave Stieb lost a perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning. The previous season, he had lost no-hitter