The Washington critic., 1886-07-17
MASCOTS ON THE DIAMOND.
Some of the Current Superstitions OF
Baseball Players.

Some of the Current Superstitions OF
Baseball Players.
Last season the mascot of the Chi.
cago Club was the cause of their win
ming the championship, says the New
York Sun. that Is, the players say so,
and 1t would be hard work to change
their opinion.
The Detroit Club are trying the
mascot business this season, and they
think with success.
Managers say that the idea that
mascot helps club to win Is undoubt-
edly good thing, as 1t serves to make
them play with more spirit and greater
sharpness. To show what supersttious
ideas ball players have, here is little
list:
Porter, the Brooklyn player, is the
owner of red jersey, which he has
worn in every game he has pitched for
the Brooklyn Club. He thinks that 1t
would be impossible to win game
without 1t, and should he be forced to
go on the field without 1t, the idea that
he would lose would be so impressed
upon his mind that he surely would
lose the game. In St. Louis last season
the jersey was at the laundry. and he
could not get il out. He was so affect
ed that he cried. The jersey was re-
covered, however, by one Of the di.
rectors of the club just in the nick of
time, and Porter won the game.
The Detroit Club have colored boy
born with teeth, and they would not
exchange him for his weight in gold.
Last fall, when there was n great de-
mand for the pictures of the New York
team, they refused to have them taken,
as they were laboring under the be-
| lief that 1t would bring them bad luck.
Their recent bad luck was owing, they
say, to their not having mascot. Now
that they have one, they are playing
good ball.
Smith of the Brooklyn Club has a
mascot all to himself He takes him
on the field every day, and has him ba,
| fly balls, which Smith catches. Thus
Smith says he is sure of getting two
or three base-hits in the following
game.
The Brooklyn Club don't take tc
boy mascots, but they have a mascot
all the same. 1t is black pigeon
Whenever this pigeon circles around
over the ball ground the Brooklyn
| Club will win. When the black pigeon
flies out with two white ones the score
will be close.
A yellow dog once wandered upor
the polo grounds and was adopted by
the New York Club as mascot. 1t did
not bring the club luck, but 1t got it,
pound of beefsteak every day.
Another great idea that the ball
player gets is that some certain person
brings his side bad luck, and that they
will never win game when the person
Is present
Players have been known to turr
shirts wrong side out before beginning
play, and to sleep at night always or
the same side, with their heads in {
certain position.
Jimmy Roseman of the metropolitan
Club always takes up his position OF
the forward part of the Staten Islant
ferry boat and looks for green flas
among the many small flags that tloa
over the grounds. If the green one Is
there the club is sure of victory. l
has not been there very much thi
year. The Metropolitan Club, as ,
whole, believe that white stocking
and blue caps are the only lucky dres
that player can wear. If the clu'
see load of empty barrels going II
the same direction as themselves it is
sign of good luck.