Everyone thinks of groundhogs as small, furry creatures that are scared of their own shadow. So it seems like an oxymoron to think that one of Punxsutawney Phil’s relatives could possibly be terrorizing anyone. In New Jersey, one of the Caddyshack stars was doing just that on the local little league fields.
Over the span of two days, a groundhog in Bridgeton, New Jersey caused some havoc for a little league and youth football team, was captured, and then escaped. here is how the real life Groundhog Day went down:
• Members of the Bridgeton Midget Football League noticed a groundhog near the parking lot outside the field. Never seeing a creature like this before, the kids moved closer to get a better look.
• The endangered animal then charged at the football players. The kids ran away from the ensuing groundhog onto a little league field where a game was being played.
• The groundhog was in hot pursuit, following the kids onto the field. The umpire working the game got between the animal and the kids. The groundhog bared its teeth at him and began to chase the umpire.
• The Bridgeton Little League President Carl Hemple stepped in to protect the umpire and the groundhog turned his attention towards him instead. The groundhog chased Hemple all the way to his car.
• The groundhog ran under Hemple’s car and when he started it the groundhog ran and hid in a hole.
• Hemple called the police and they came and captured the menacing animal, but was so big it managed to break the loop around its neck and escape.
Eventually the groundhog was captured and brought to the nearby animal hospital. However, the 20 pound beast would not go down without a fight. The next morning when one of the workers came to care for the groundhog, the animal had escaped its cage. The even spookier part is that the cage was not only empty, it was still locked.
