The game of baseball has a long history of superstition. I’m sure you’ve heard of the curse of the Bambino, players who refuse to shave, and pre-game routines. Pitchers are known to be the most superstitious of all baseball players. So much so, that non-pitchers think they are all crazy.
The funny thing about baseball superstition is that it can arise at any time based on a good or bad playing experience.
Baseball superstitions are fascinating and deeply ingrained in baseball folklore. Here are my top nine baseball superstitions. I’m using nine to go with that “superstition” theme: shake a leg!
The 9 best baseball superstitions
1. Failure to step on the foul line when entering or leaving the field
Pitchers and managers are always very cautious not to touch that foul line.
2. Eat the same food before each game
Wade Boggs, who played for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, was famous for eating chicken before a game.
3. Leave the pitcher alone and not talk about a no-hitter
This is one of the superstitions that almost all baseball players adhere to. The last thing any player wants to do is curse their pitcher when he has a no-hitter. Superstition says: if you talk about it, the no-hitter will be broken.
Four. Glove or lucky bat
Some players must have a lucky bat and / or glove to be successful (in their mind). But what happens when they break their lucky bat?
5. Sign of the cross / pointing to the sky
You see it every day. Players pointing skyward to give thanks and players making the sign of the cross before entering the batter’s box.
6.Hitting the bat on the plate
It seems that all players do this. I guess it’s similar to knocking on wood!
7. Sitting in the same place on the bench
You may not have heard of this one, but it is very, very common. If you look at your favorite Major League Baseball team throughout the season, you’ll notice that players tend to sit in a specific area of the dugout with the same group of guys.
8. Do not shave
Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees has made him famous. Early in the 2008 season, Jason didn’t shave for a couple of days and then he had a great day at the plate. So much so that he grew a mustache. Believe it or not, he had an incredible hitting streak for the next several weeks. It became such a rage among fans and the media that the Yankees main office actually hyped it up with a Jason Giambi Bobble Head Doll with a mustache. This is a classic.
9. Go to the same restaurant or diner before each playoff game
In Game 4 of the 1998 World Series, Jim Leyritz of the New York Yankees hit a three-run home run off Mark Wohlers of the Atlanta Braves. That home run changed the momentum of the series and allowed the Yankees to win the World Series. After hitting that home run, Jim went back to the same restaurant he had eaten the day he hit the three-run home run. It worked! – the Yankees won four of the next five world championships.
There you have it, the top nine baseball superstitions that make baseball what it is. Next time you’re watching a game and your team needs a few races to win the game … Put on your rally caps and become part of the baseball mystique – maybe your team wins – “Knock Wood”
