The Calumet news., 1910-09-01
star ATHLETES
SUPERSTITIONS
RUNNERS AND BASEBALL Play
ERS FEAR MANY ODD HOO
Doos-WATcH FOR GOOD
LUCK oMENs

New York Sept Chorus girls,
circus performers and professional
entertainers generally have all been
exploited for their many supersti-
tions, but the athletes have been en-
tirely overlooked, and It is time that
those who attend athletic meets knew
just how superstitlous some OF the
star athletes really are.
You see a fellow taking his mark
for race, he looks to be all nerves
and you say that he Is certainly ION
edge" but you don't know that he's
lost his good luck" and that he In
upset for that reason and is not ner-
vous because he is anxious To leave
the starting mark But, should you
know the runner well, you. must pos
sess his secret
They all have it-even the great
"Mer' Sheppard, who is running in
such great form. Here's what some OF
the fellows avoid and what some of
the great athletes do TO avoid the
"jnks."
"A couple of years ago / was walt
ing for the start of a race when one
of the old timers approached me and
asked that / change my running
pants and wear his" says Sheppard.
II wondered what he was after, and
he told me. You know, I'm the old
national champion half miller he
said, and as my folks are i'm the
grandstand / wish you'd wear my
green running pants. / looked him
/ 10
he knew If l wore his pants IT would
bring him good luck, and that he
would be able TO regain his lost pos
ition in the athletic world.
"Given an even number when I
compete / always win" said Harvey
Cohn, one of the star runners I'm the
pro" world But never go through
with a race when I'm tagged with an
odd number"
| The little Swede, Ljungstrom. who
ran so many wonderful professional
races here last year. would never
compete If given the number zone"
when he ran well at Celtic park his
manager concealed from him the fact
that he had drawn the "hoodoo" num-
| Der.
The old horseshoe has been believed
by most of us, but Harry Smith the
last king of the Coney Island Mardl
Gras. and one of the most promising
middle .dStance runners in Gotham.
never starts in a race unless he has
bowed before his many horseshoes.
He has one old rusty shoe that was
discarded In Liberty street. and he
makes IL a practice to rub his running
suit against that rusty object before
every race. John Taylor. the greatest
colored runner who ever lived, In
spite of the extraordinary supersti-
tions usually possessed by his race.
laughed at "thirteen." The officials
purposely gave him the number "thlr-
teen" when he started against Jessup.
but Taylor won easily.
Harry Gissing OF the New York's
doesn't believe in running twice i'm the
same suit. Where he gets the many
uniforms is a mystery his coach has
never been able 90 solve.
'Yank" Robbins, on the other hand.
believes in running in but one pair
of pants. and II was more than n sur
prise when "Yank" showed up the
other day with them newly washed.
"Maxey" Long. Billy Edwards and
Phil Sayles. all old-time runners. new
er believed fellow could run proper
ly unless he wore the same rig all the
time, and the present distance runner
of the I. A. A. c., Jim Sullivan, clings
TO the same theory.
Paul Pilgrim of the New Yorls
says that he could never run at his
best when given an even number by
the officials, and that he could win
with odd numbers every time.
Jim Duncan of the Mohawks Is as
superstitious as can be. Jim has never
been employed along Park row. and
he goes out OF his way i'm order
to find beggars. The night before Jim
intends competing he stands before "A
Harlem church and looks for those
seeking aims "Ten cents given TO q
poor fellow has helped me to win
many a medal" says Duncan.
Willie Rozett OF the Pastlmes new
er walks under ladder on the day
of distance run. because he believes
that IL would cause him 60 take short