Havin' A Ball/Trivia

Trivia

 * This is one of only two instances in an episode where Pop dies before Cub. This later happens in Stealing the Spotlight.
 * This episode is a reversal of the standard Pop and Cub formula. In future episodes, Cub dies because of Pop's careless actions or negligence. In this one, however, Pop goes out of his way to make Cub happy by crossing heavy traffic, so he can fetch Cub's ball. He doesn't kill or injure his son in the process and ends up losing his own life, before he can even give the ball back.
 * This is the first episode where no one survives.
 * Some versions of this episode showed the side of the cliff at the end, but not all.
 * This is the first episode to introduce the use of vehicles (cars, trucks, and a helicopter).
 * The helicopter is very small compared to real life rescue helicopters such as the S-70A.
 * This is the first episode where Lumpy dies.
 * This is one of the few episodes with Pop and Cub's theme music.
 * This is the first episode where a main character appears and doesn't have a starring role (Lumpy).
 * This introduces the method of killing other characters indirectly (Pop and Cub).
 * This is the first episode where Lumpy appears and his antlers don't change directions.
 * This is the first episode without any female characters to any extent.

Cultural References

 * The phrase "having a ball" means to have fun, or enjoy yourself.
 * Pop's death is similar to Thomas Murphy's death in the 1992 film "Alien 3".

Superlatives

 * Pop's death is similar to Toothy's death in Mime and Mime Again, Handy's death in Who's to Flame?, and Cuddles' death in Party Animal.