The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-15
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PET SUPERSTIT1ONS
OF BALL PLAYERS
~ Cobb. y Is Said. Always Swings
Same Three Bats

There are some bali players who are
too matter Of fact and consioer theuf
selves too sensible to indulge IN thS pc
lief or practice Of superS1inonS. Row
ever the typical paSttmer. IN line VIA
hall PLAYERS from tirno irnrreuorlal. VIII
nick up pins and safety pins 1oF SUoo
luck. h:sirpins for base hits. spit IN ms
hat 70 kill the 3inS Of croSs-eyeo per
son or load Of hay to WIN game anu u
follow numerous other customs Thlch
are reputcd to bring, good luck 10
club or 70 the player himself.
Almost every ball player has his inol-
v;dual superstitions. although you cam
not say that he actually believes Ia
them At the same time. II player
picks up his bat or goes UP TO the plale
IN a manner different from ms usual ta
custom and he gets a hit somehow. the
idea gets under his skin that he had
better not fail to do the same thlnG
again. \ habit thus beSones L sort Oh
superstition which really serves nm
we'll for the reason thar 1t gives hin;
confidence. which means much toward
his success
Fob Harmon always wore his cap on
one side 1t his head when working. ne
cause of the fact that hr wore II IN TINS
manner in rhe first game he pitched and
Won in the big league.
ChriSty NathewSon always placed ms
glove. face UP. near the side me anu
would never allow any one u hsAo II u
Chief Bender always pitched his glove
to the side line as he walked out or the
box. He never WAS known to lay II
down. He would get his signal from the
catcher and step into the box from De
hind and always his right foot first.
Eddie Plank would never warm up
with a new bali en- the days he worked.
He always hung his S~eatcr on a. +nr Tsa!!
ntil in the "dugout' and Woe DC oHSo
the player VIII" moved IL
Walter Johnson has certain place
TO warm up whcnerHr II IS ms day 20
pitch and in walking from the ocncn
10 the box. he always travels the same
route
Cy Voung would always warm up on
his day to pitch with the catcher ~h"
was going TO work. On these Gays ne
placed the bats with the handles toward
the irfield. He would never allow bats
TO rcInalu crossed
t. cobb always swings the same
three bats each time ne goes up W hA'
Edd:c Collins has certain way so
put on his uniform He always dresses
Johnny Ev.rs, the >.,,ie Trojan. al.
vays believes that his club would VIII
IL he put one stocking on with the %rons
side out He continued The haoi'
I.nioie had a certain bat which he
used in the garnc and under no condl'
tious would he allow any one TO use II
for the reason that the player using II
might get hts wi, Ta'1 n, really 0ei0nse'
Hans Wagner would never allow q
player or a bat boy to make any mort
TO disarrange the hats or TO start putting
them away until the last man was eu'
IN rho las, inning. no matter how the
score stood.
Johnny King always had certain
place to lay his glove and protector
and he always put them on the same
way He would never start On inning
,vitbont a throw to second base
Hal Chase believes that he cannot get
a hit unless he spits in his hand and
touches his cap before pitcher deliV'
ers the ball.
There is 4 general superstition among
hall PLAYERS about wearing new uni
forms and using new gloves.