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Superstition Is Common Among Great Athletesby Jack HutchinsonOf all the people in the United States, athletes must be considered as being the most superstitious. There have been cases of ballplayers not cutting their hair for fear that it would break their good luck streak, or not shining their shoes before a game because it would surely bring misfortune upon them. Some even went so far as to wear dirty socks for months, because they represented good luck.Recently in the Houston-UCLA game the Houston club tried to jinx the visitors by bringing them through gate 13 of the As-trodome, and the Houston coach wore his lucky jacket to make sure his club won. Well, we all know the outcome, Houston won. Could the jinx have worked? Perhaps the case of superstitious Ray Chapman might answer this question.In his prime Ray Chapman was a star shortstop for the Cleveland Indians. However, he was a ballplayer obsessed with the number two. He never entered a place, first. He always made sure he was preceded by someone. He tried to transact'all his private business on the second day of the month. When it was his turn to hit, he would always come to the plate swinging two bats. Before he faced the pitcher, he would always tap home plate with his foot — twice. Naturally, he batted second in the Cleveland line-up.On August 16, 1920, Chapman played his superstition to the end. For on that day, against the New York Yankees, shortstop Ray Chapman, with the count 2 and 2, hit 2 two-baggers. Twice that afternoon, with the count 2 and 2, he was hit by a pitched ball. At the close of that day, the figures in the daily box score beside his name read thus: Times at bat—2, Runs scored— 2, Hits—2, Stolen bases—2. In the field it was: Put-outs—2, Assists—2, Errors—2.On his last time at bat, Ray Chapman was struck by a pitched ball for the second time that afternoon. It completed the cycle of two for him, for the ball fractured his skull; soon after, the great shortstop was dead.It was two minutes after 2 o’clock the next morning when Ray Chapman closed his eyes forever.Students!! Be sure to vote for the Best Dressed Co-ed, Tuesday,in the Administration Building.
Newspaper Details
Dillon Wescolite
Dillon, Montana, US
Fri, Feb 23, 1968
Page 2
Full Page
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Danielle R.
OH, USA 08 Feb 2021
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