Baseball players are a superstitious bunch. Stories of how some of the game’s greats had to follow the same routine have become the stuff of legend.
Jim Palmer had to eat pancakes before a start. Wade Boggs ate fried chicken before every game. Nomar Garciaparra had to fix his batting gloves before each pitch. That’s just a very small sample.
Prior to last week’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles, some of this season’s best players detailed the superstitions they employ.
White Sox closer Liam Hendriks finishes warming up in the bullpen by throwing two same two pitches every time. Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah has lucky underwear. Brewers reliever Devin Williams has a superstition with his uniform that sounds kind of gross. And Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano just has too many superstitions to list. Watch the video above to hear the full rundown.
The game may change through the generations. But baseball’s one constant will always be superstitious players.