Ron Darling, Phil Simms, a tiger and a giraffe walk into a bar mitzvah…

Ron Darling, Phil Simms, a tiger, and a giraffe walk into a bar mitzvah in Woodstock sounds like the start of a joke or story that no one could have written on their own.

But apparently, it’s a true story. Major League Baseball players didn’t always get paid the way they do today, which forced Darling to pick up some odd jobs in his career. Including making appearances at bar mitzvahs.

During the New York Mets’ spring training game against the Houston Astros Sunday afternoon, the SNY broadcast was talking about odd jobs for minor leaguers. And according to Darling, there was a point earlier in his career where he would be booked for bar mitzvah and pancake breakfast appearances every weekend to help pay his rent.

Here’s the whole segment where Ron Darling talked about working bar mitzvahs and Little League pancake breakfasts during the offseason after his rookie year in the bigs. pic.twitter.com/2Y2swD1aBy

— The Mets Newsletter (@metsnewsletter) March 2, 2026

“I would do two or three a weekend,” Darling said. “The most extravagant bar mitzvah I went to was up in Woodstock at one of the older hotels. Me and Phil Simms did it. And the father of the son had flown in all of these exotic animals, from tigers to giraffes, because the kid just loved zoos.”

Ron Darling has been a full-time Mets broadcaster for more than 20 years, yet somehow, this story of him working a bar mitzvah with Phil Simms and a bunch of zoo animals in Woodstock managed to slip through the cracks.

While the scene might not be what everyone expects when they think of professional athletes, Darling called it a “great experience” because it ingratiated himself with the fans and allowed him to experience all of New York’s boroughs.

Darling, however, has since retired from making bar mitzvah appearances, although the gig is still out there if he wants it. After Darling shared his story, Mets field reporter Steve Gelbs revealed he recently learned Bart Scott is out there on weekends making bar mitzvah appearances. But is he making bar mitzvah appearances with a giraffe and a Super Bowl quarterback?