Walking under a ladder. Seeing a black cat. Breaking a mirror. Bad luck is everywhere for the superstitious and it definitely impacts the world of sports. One badly planted foot or one wrongly angled ray of sunshine can have a huge effect on the result of a game, match or meet. From lucky Speedos to dipping hockey sticks in toilets (ew), athletes depend partially on luck to perform- in whatever form luck is for them. While we may be confused about these things, they do work (supposedly).
1. Taking a corner of the relay card for good luck
In the world of swimming, relay teams (four swimmers) are given a paper slip that they hand to a timer to keep track of their time for the race. These battered, water-stained slips deal with much abuse but their corners are seen as a token of luck. Each member of the team rips a corner off of the slip and tucks it inside of their cap. If this method actually works, it remains to be seen but it definitely helps a team get hyped up for this most competitive of races. If this seems weird, don’t even get me started on behind-the-block warm-up routines.
2. Playoff beards
The year is 1980. The New York Islanders decide, as a team, to forgo shaving for the entire championship series leading up to the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL Championship. The Islanders won the Stanley Cup that year and the next three years until 1984. Does facial hair automatically guarantee a smooth ride to the Cup?
This superstition holds such weight that every NHL player in the league grows a beard if they make the playoffs. While some beards are more Dumbledore-y than others, it is the spirit of unity that keeps the tradition alive. Besides, who doesn’t love a good beard?
3. Shunning the no-hitter
Usually, ignoring someone is considered petty but not in baseball. If a pitcher is on track to throw a no-hitter (meaning that with every pitch, the team at bat has not been able to hit the ball; if the pitcher throws a no-hitter for the whole game, it is called a perfect game), no one else on the team is allowed to look at him, talk to him, think about him or sit near him on the bench. Like that short span of time in the third grade when boys think that all girls have cooties, the entire team avoids the pitcher like the plague and the crowd keeps the silence, too. If the phrase “no-hitter” is even uttered, it is considered a jinx and the luck is broken.
4. Salt on the soccer field
Soccer’s global nature has led to some weird superstitions, including cursed goalposts, inside-out socks and even an octopus that predicts World Cup winners. One particularly weird superstition is sprinkling (or dumping) salt on the field before a match begins for good luck. This superstition is practiced globally but it has been most famously practiced by former Pisa coach Romeo Anconetani, who threw 25 kilograms (or about 55 pounds) of salt on a field before an important game. Just like grandma always said, a well-seasoned field is important for a good game to be played.
Even if these superstitions can neither be confirmed nor denied, there is no doubt that they give a little hint of magic to those who love the game. Who knows- maybe salt or beards stop seven years of bad luck.