In the majestic Great American Ball Park in the United States, the patriotic melody of the national anthem “The Star Spangled Banner” reverberated through a gigantic speaker, bringing tears to the eyes of fans of the Orioles and the Reds.
Sam the Bald Eagle was poised in its cage.
Then, the cage opened.
A whistle sounded, and Sam swooped down from above the crowd at midfield, soaring through the exhilarating atmosphere of the fans with thousands of eyes fixed on it, while its coach Eddie Annal stood in the distance, appearing as a mere speck on the mound.
Sam was the symbol before the game.
But May marked the last pre-game flight for Sam.
Hundreds of flights like this began in the early 2000s. Many of the fans who loved Sam back then were just children. Twenty years had passed since Sam’s first flight, and those boys were now men and fathers, while Sam had aged too.
Since its first training session at a baseball stadium in September 2003, Sam could always see its coach at midfield from atop the stands. It would perch high for five minutes and then realize it needed to glide toward Mr. Annal like a giant, feathery airplane.
Considering Sam’s injured wings in the past, this was quite an impressive feat.
At the time, it was just a few months old when found injured on the roadside in 1999. After receiving rehab at Michigan State University, it was determined that Sam’s wing injury was permanent, meaning it couldn’t be released back into the wild.
“We brought him to Cincinnati in the spring of 2003 to start working with him,” Annal said in a June 2024 press release. “It had never flown, and we didn’t know how its flying abilities would be.”
But Sam’s coach quickly saw its soaring potential.
Sam excelled and became a symbol before games at the ballpark and elsewhere, earning widespread fame.
“I’ve watched these flights at the stadium many times, and I can tell you, when Sam reaches the mound, there are tears, applause, and amazement in the stands,” officials at the Cincinnati Zoo told Epoch Times. “It’s thrilling when Coach Eddie blows the whistle as the national anthem begins. It signals the magical moment when Sam takes flight – incredible.”
The hundreds of pre-game dives by Sam thrilled countless people. Over 20 years, Sam flew repeatedly from the outfield to the mound, successfully mastering the general direction of the flight in its mind. While vision wasn’t an issue for flying, landing tested its eyesight and performance abilities to the limit.
“Vision is crucial for eagles,” Annal said.
On a Monday before retiring in June, Sam’s vision declined during practice.
“We always trained a few days before the flight during games, and it severely missed the coach’s glove during landing, behaving very abnormally,” Annal told Epoch Times. “After we returned from the baseball field, we had the vet team examine it, and they discovered cataracts in both eyes after a rapid eye examination.”
Sam would no longer soar over the heads of fans at the “Great American Ball Park.” But its inspirational days at sports arenas were not over. In late June, during the match between Manchester United and the Pirates, Sam proudly sat on Mr. Annal’s arm, walking onto the field as the national anthem played.
It sat on the coach’s arm, staying there.
For this eagle, retirement now meant more time spent at home. Sam resides at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, where many zoo visitors in its hometown are amazed. “Wings of Wonder Bird Encounter” is a popular attraction, where birds of various colors showcase their flying skills. They demonstrate calls, climbing skills, mimicry, and even outsmart their keepers in play. There are various activities to choose from.
If Sam wishes, it can play with other birds.
While Sam is now retired, its bond with the trainer remains strong. The 20 years of trust and respect established through working with Mr. Annal has left a lasting impression on the Bald Eagle.
“Sam definitely recognizes the distinction between trainers, as Eddie has been with it since the beginning of its training,” zoo officials told Epoch Times. “Sam trusts that Eddie will place it in a safe place and provide tasty treats, while Eddie believes Sam won’t harm him with its talons.”