The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12

superstitions. Some players
believe that II they do not do
a certain thing on a certain day they
will 20 hitless In the game that day:
some managers believe that II they do
not wear a certain hat or a certain
suit Of clothes their teams will lose
that day; while some owners believe
that If they do not take a certain
seat in the grand stand every day
In the week their teams will have a
losing streak.
: To get an idea Of superstition as II
exists in baseball to-day 1t is only
necessary To watch the players at the
Polo Grounds. You will often see "A
player advancing to the plate swing
ing two or three oats as he walks.
Practically all the good batters in both
the National and the American League
are in the habit of going through this
performance before they face the
pitcher. Watch men like Ty Cobb,
iris Speaker and Hans Wagner, who
are famous for their batting ability.
and YOU viii conclude that they con
slider il part Of their days work. 1t
Is II habit with them, OF course. one
acquired through long years Of play
ing, hut really 1t Is superstition whiyh
compelS them To swing "a bundle of
bats before they take their turn at
hat. Some of them will admit the he.
lief that II they did not swing two or
three bats they would not he able to
make a hit.
Then there are players, left handed
l%atters. who in walking from the play
ers' bench cross over the plate, pro-
vided Of course, that the bench is
located to the left Of the catcher. As
they walk across the plate they hit
the rubber sharply with the bat. When
they perform this act you can imagine
that the players lips form the words
for luck
Take the case of the player who
comes to the plate with his bat on his
shoulder and who upon reaching the
rubber lowers his bat and draws a
line in the dirt between his toes and
the plate. II might be concluded that
the player II marking out a batter's
box for himself. but the chances are
that he is superstitiOus enough to
think that il he does not so mark the
ground he will not get his longed for
hit. Helnie Zimmerman of the Chi
cage Cubs is a striking example of
the player who draws his bat across
the ground.
Perhaps the most striking example
Of superstition in baseball as il at
fects owners II teams Is supplied by
| Iblatu 80 tho nr,,BlH, >1,i.,at.
This season Ebbets's team Is making
a gallant fight To win the pennant
and participate in the lucrative
worlds series.
one day when his team entered
upon "A winning streak Ebbets forsook
hir o-.Ge in the clubhouse and went
u to the stand tn see his men per-
form, He brought with him a high
stool which he placed in back of a
row of seats and in company with
Nice-President McKeever he remained
in that spot for the remainder of the
afternoon. 1t was his good fortune to
see his team win.
Ebbets waXed enthusiastic over the
success of his team that afternoon.
but thought nothing of the stool until
"A friend came in to congratulate him
and i~ncidently tn remark that Ebbets
was the mascot and therefore was
duty bound to bring the stool out
every afternoon, place 1t in the same
spot and root for the success of the
Brooklyns.
The idea appealed to Ebbets and the
next afternoon he was back at the
same spot. His team won again. The
thing became "A habit. Then a base
ball official visited the Brooklyn
grounds was the guest of Ebbets.
The latter thought II was incumbent
upon him to show his visitor special
attention n therefore abandoned the
stool and sat in u box with his guest.