Baseball Superstitions
Sports and superstition go hand in hand, and baseball has the most superstitions and superstitious players. From lucky equipment to various routines, baseball superstition is common in the game today and has been throughout history. There is a difference between superstition and myth, as a superstition is doing something, or not doing something, that will bring luck.
Lucky Equipment
Many baseball players have equipment that they feel is lucky and will enhance their ability to play baseball. Some of the most common baseball superstitions are players that do not wash parts of their uniform, especially when they are in the middle of a streak. Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros does not wash his batting helmet the entire year. You can see a baseball superstition many times on the field, when you see a player that has a very dirty baseball cap, as many players do not wash their caps for long periods of time thinking the hat is lucky. Some players think it is bad luck superstition to wash uniforms in the middle of a hot streak.
The Shaving Superstition
In terms of shaving in sports and superstition, hockey takes the cake, as the entire team rarely shaves until they are out of the playoffs. Baseball players also do not shave, as they believe it is bad luck superstition to shave in the middle of a playoff series. The longer their beard is, the more successful they are in the playoffs.
Common Baseball Superstitions
Some of the most common baseball superstitions are tapping the home plate when at bat, not touching the foul line when entering and leaving the playing field, drawing something in the batter’s box, and not mentioning statistics of a player. These are common superstitions that many baseball players believe in and follow.
To learn more about common superstitions, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_superstition
Uncommon Baseball Superstitions
Many baseball players have common superstitions, but there are also many that have very uncommon ones, as well. A very uncommon baseball superstition is Turk Wendell who is a pitcher in the major leagues. He always brushes his teeth between innings, always chews black licorice, and waves at center field before pitching. One of the more superstitious players in baseball today is one of the greatest pitchers of all time. Roger Clemens always touched the head of the Babe Ruth statue before pitching in Yankee Stadium. He also gave each of his children a name that began with the letter “K” which is the letter that represents a strikeout in baseball. Sports and superstition is alive and well in the baseball world.
|
