Arizona State mascot sends fan to hospital
Arizona State mascot Sparky waits to head out onto the field before a game against Cal Poly on Sept. 12.
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USC will have to watch out Saturday for Arizona State on the football field, and Sparky, the Sun Devils mascot, on the sideline.
During Arizona State’s win last Friday over New Mexico, Sparky jumped on the back of a Sun Devil fan while he was posing for a photograph. Unfortunately, the fan, Tempe (Ariz.) City Council member David Schapira, was in the midst of his recovery from back surgery.
He ended up back at the hospital.
“I told my wife to take one more [photo] and handed her the cane, I didn’t want it in the shot.” Schapira told KNXV-TV. “I kind of laughed at first, then my expression changes to terror as I felt that pop.”
After being three weeks away from a full recovery, Schapira said he’s now looking at another six weeks because a muscle in his back was torn.
The university apologized to Schapira and offered to pay for his additional medical expenses.
Arizona State (2-1, 0-0 in Pac-12 Conference play) hosts USC (2-1, 0-1) Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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