Baseball Superstitions
Ask anybody around the game of baseball about superstitions and you will get a mixture of responses, from, "I have numerous superstitions" to "superstitions don't affect the game." No matter what your belief is on the topic, superstitions are a part of the game of baseball, and often times around the game, superstitions are taken quite seriously.
Superstitions have been documented in numerous baseball movies such as Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh wearing ladies under garments in the belief that he will pitch better in the movie Bull Durham, or Pedro Cerrano, the voodoo-practicing Cuban baseball player known to worship "Jobu" in the movie Major League.
Baseball superstitions range from the simplicity of never stepping on the chalk of the foul line when coming on or off of the playing field, to some extremely odd superstitions.
An example of an odd superstition would be former Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Richie Ashburn, who was known to sleep with his bat the night before a game, hoping it would give him good luck at the plate the next day.
For the Williamsport Crosscutters, the tradition of superstitions is still taken seriously by some.
According to Cutters third basemen Zach Green, "I don't really have any, but if you ever feeling like you're in a funk at the plate or anything, it's always nice to mix something up to stay fresh."
Though Green stated he didn't really have any superstitions, the more he talked; his most recent superstition came out.
"I was rocking the mustache for a little while. It was kind of goofy, but at the same time it was feeling different."
Though Green may not have considered the mustache a superstitious thing, he was overheard the day after he shaved it saying, "It [the mustache] ran out of hits."
Interesting enough, since shaving his mustache Green has hit three home runs, including a pair of long balls in Williamsport's game against the Staten Island Yankees on August 2nd.
Cutters infielder Sam Dove had an interesting approach when talking about his superstitions.
"I don't know if I should talk about them [superstitions]." Which is a little superstitious in itself, but Dove would go on to share one of his superstitions.
"Every time I cross the line coming off of the field toward the dugout, I take my glove off as I hop over the line. It's kind of a superstition. I don't ever take my glove off my hand while on the field unless it is a pitching change."
When asked about their teammates superstitions, both Green and Dove went to the starting pitchers.
"The only thing I've ever seen is the starting pitchers, when they are going that day, they always have the headphones on and they're just in the zone." Green said.
Dove went on to add, "Pitchers are weird. It is hard to tell what is superstition and what is just their weird personality."
Second basemen Andrew Pullin tried to down play his superstitions. When asked if he had any superstitions, Pullin replied, "Not consciously that I know of."
Pullin would go on to explain something that he does at the plate that is boarder line superstitious.
"Actually you know what, I do, I put my left batting glove on before my right every time. [I] have to, every time. If I don't, I feel awkward."
After hearing both Green and Dove talk about pitchers, it was time to get a pitcher's prospective on superstitions.
Starting pitcher Drew Anderson looked to defend his fellow pitchers. Anderson, like Green, grew a mustache since the beginning of the season. When confronted in a humorous manner about the facial hair, he replied, "I think it just looks good."
When asked about his superstitions on the day he pitched, Anderson said, "I just try to keep everything the same. The way I walk off the mound or do a warm up pitch, or the number of warm up pitches. When I first go out there I do three fastballs, two change ups and a curveball, then I'm ready to go."
Superstitions are as much a part of the game as every other element. Even if a player doesn't think that he has a superstition, the chances are he has at least one, even if it is subconscious. Finding appreciation for the small things, like superstitions is what makes the game of baseball such a unique sport to play or follow. So ask yourself, what superstitions do you have?