25 Odd Pre-Game Rituals Legendary Athletes Swore By
Some of these superstitions are honestly pretty weird, but I guess you can't argue with greatness.
Published 3 years ago in Wow
6
Former NBA point guard Mike Bibby had a weird habit of clipping his fingernails on the bench during the game. In fact, this compulsive quirk got so out of hand that even when he was in the game, if a time out was called, he had a trainer standing by, ready to hand him some clippers so he could go to work while the coach went over strategy.
9
Former Canadian right fielder in MLB, Larry Walker was known for his obsession with the number 3. Apart from wearing “33” on his jersey, he married his wife on Nov. 3 at 3:33 pm, took practice swings in multiples of 3, set his alarm for 33 past the hour and once purchased tickets for 33 disadvantaged children who were seated in section 333 at the stadium.
10
Retired Croatian tennis player and the only person to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon as a wildcard, Goran Ivanisevic had a tradition that if he won a match during a tournament, he would repeat everything he did during the day that he won. He would wear the same clothes, eat at the same restaurant, and even talk to the same people.
14
Former left fielder in MLB, Kevin Rhomberg was one of the most superstitious MLB players ever. His most bizarre superstition was that if someone touched him, he had to touch that person back. Therefore, opposing players and teammates loved nothing more than to touch Rhomberg and then run off, sending him into a near panic.
17
Arguably the greatest ice hockey player in history, Wayne Gretzky had a ritual of putting his pads on in the exact same order every time. Left shin pad, left stocking, right shin pad, right stocking. Then pants, left skate, right skate, shoulder pads, elbow pads, first the left, then the right; and finally, the jersey, with the right side tucked into his pants.
18
Former American professional baseball third baseman Wade Boggs employed several rituals such as taking batting practice at exactly 5:17, running sprints at exactly 7:17, writing the Hebrew word “chai” in the batter’s box before his time at bat, and indulging in a meal of chicken before every single game.
19
One of the greatest tennis players in history, Rafael Nadal has many little rituals on the court. He always crosses the lines with his right foot only, he always eats his energy gel in the same way, he goes to the towel after every point and – probably most famously – he always has his recovery drink and water in the exact same positions every game.
20
Former football defensive tackle John Henderson, who played ten seasons in the NFL, had a very bizarre and painful ritual prior to every game; he asked his trainer to slap him in the face as hard as possible. With Henderson’s body proportions 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and 335 lb (152 kg), the trainer always hoped Henderson would not hit him back.
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Former MLB left-handed relief pitcher Steve Kline was a good player, but he was more famous for his superstition; he would never wash his hat during a season. His dirty hats become such a hot topic that the St. Louis Cardinals once held a “Steve Kline Hat Day” where the first 5,000 fans that entered the park got their own dirty hats.
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Caron Butler, a basketball player who played for many NBA teams including the LA Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Sacramento Kings, had strong affection for Mountain Dew and straws. He would drink half of a 2-liter bottle of Mountain Dew before every game and finish it at halftime. He would also chew up to 12 plastic straws during each game.
24
The leading all-time point scorer among active NHL players, Jaromir Jagr, iconic Czech ice hockey player, has several superstitions. Prior to every match, for example, he is the last player of his team to appear on the ice rink. Also, after every international match, he crosses himself and taps on the coat of arms of the Czech Republic on his jersey.
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