By Vincent Davis
Former Red Sox Hall of Famer Wade Boggs used to eat chicken before every single game.
Former Yankee first baseman Jason Giambi wore a mustache on one occasion that was considered “magical.” The magical mustache brought a winning streak to Giambi’s bat, aided by a gold thong he wore that year to break out of his hitting slump.
Stevie Wonder may have sung that “superstitions ain’t the way,” but among athletes and actors, it’s more a way of life.
In all likelihood, superstitions are as old as mankind. On stage, actors are still warned, 400 years later, to never to say the word “Macbeth” before a play.
Whether it’s anecdotal luck or just a habit, belief in superstitions creates a prodigious debate.
Daytona State Pitcher Joe Rosell, like many, believes in superstition, especially during pregame and in-game antics. Before every game, even if he isn’t playing, Rosell never steps on either right or left field foul lines.
“Even though it’s a common superstition in baseball, most players still overlook it,” says Rosell.
On days that he pitches, he never buttons his top button until he gets on the mound to start the game. Also, before every game he pitches Rosell ties his left shoe only when he first gets in the dugout, then when he goes out on the field to stretch, he ties his right shoe. Finally, after every pitch during the game, Rosell licks his right pointer, middle, and ring finger, then rubs that hand on the right corner bill of his cap.
Rosell says, “It brings me more confidence when I’m on the mound and better grip on my pitches.”
He has been observing all these rituals since he was about eight years old, but believes that he has been doing these actions due to the pure luck they bring every time.
On the contrary, DSC Head Baseball Coach Tim Touma says that there is no such thing as superstition. Touma trusts that the luck or outcome of the game is based primarily on the player and his abilities and in his opinion, theories regarding such superstitions are all in a person’s head. Although Touma does not believe in superstition, he has seen his share of “crazy antics.” In Touma’s playing days at the University of Florida, he used to be a teammate of former Yankees catcher Mike Stanley.
“He used to swing a weighted bat before every game while having his regular game bat on the fence behind him. He would not play if anyone touched or moved that bat from that location,” he recalls.
In his playing days, Touma has seen players re-tie their shoes before every game over again. Even today as a head baseball coach, he often observes players sitting on the gator outside the University of Florida stadium before every home game chewing on an orange for good luck. Last season Touma says some players wore the same black uniforms when they were on a “hot” winning streak, but thinks this that’s more a case of habit, rather than a classic superstition.
Defined as a belief or notion not based on reason or knowledge, superstition is perfectly grounded in logic for Rosell. Despite his high school experience of throwing a perfect game, it’s not so easy a task in college. He says his complicated antics before a game are very much necessary if he wants to succeed.
Oddly enough, most believe acting would be one of the most fertile fields for superstitions, but that is not the case for new DSC Professor Samantha Stern, who says that in all her years of acting on Broadway she has never saw or did anything involving superstitions. And yet, the world of stagecraft is infamous for its many odd beliefs, among them that whistling or clapping backstage is bad mojo. Artificial flowers are preferred as props and peacock feathers are never to be worn onstage because both will spell disaster for a performance.
Following are a few of thousands of famous superstitions covered in the Encyclopedia of Superstitions” by Richard Webster (2008, Llewellyn Publications):
Abracadabra — Before it was a magic word for stage magicians, it was used as a lucky charm and amulet starting in the second century. In medieval times, it was believed that the word written on paper and worn as an amulet had powers to cure a toothache, fever and warts.
“Break a leg” — Since it is considered bad luck to wish an actor well before they go onstage, telling them to “break a leg” is considered a positive substitute. The origins of the expression are lost in history, but “leg” is an acting term for the curtain, so an abundance of curtain calls might cause the mechanism to break. There also are claims that the case of John Wilkes Booth, who broke his leg after jumping on the stage following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, is connected to the saying, as well as Sarah Bernhardt, whose star continued to shine even after having her leg amputated.
Bees — It is considered good luck to dream of bees. It means hard work will be rewarded.
Bread — It is considered bad luck to take the last slice of bread on a plate.