Winds rip head off Durham's bull

Over the last 13 seasons, the famed Snorting Bull that sits atop that Blue Monster at Durham Bulls Athletic Park has survived direct hits from sluggers aiming to win themselves a free steak.

But Monday the bull met its match in Mother Nature.

According to the Durham Bulls, high winds with gusts exceeding 50 mph ripped the head off the bull early Monday morning, ending the famed run of the junior bovine.

"It was a sad sight to see when I arrived this morning," Durham Bulls General Manager Mike Birling said. "Mother Nature did what some pretty strong ballplayers never could. I hope she doesn't expect her free steak, though."

The original Snorting Bull, built for and made famous by the movie Bull Durham, was replaced in 1995 when the team moved from the old Durham Athletic Park to its new home on Blackwell Street. It still sits on the first-base side of the concourse.

Birling said the team has already contacted a "veterinarian of sorts" to put the bull back together again.