Are athletes prone to holding more superstitions than the average person?
Ever wanted to ensure a quiet flight with a few empty seats? Book your ticket on cursed Friday the 13th. Though many feign a lack of superstition, they'd rather not flirt with fate's wrath. Even the most grounded folk, as steadfast as badgers, have their quirks - from dodging ladders to chancing upon rainbows.
The charms of the old rabbit's foot or heather sprig might be things of the past, but we all secretly fret over broken mirrors and spared money spiders in the tub. It's just 'a silly bit of nonsense,' we tell ourselves, yet for one particular group, it means far more. Our sports enthusiasts, when it comes to omens and portents, display an unparalleled level of apprehension.
Henrietta Knight, National Hunt trainer, steers clear of hay on race days, convinced the day is ruined even if it's just straw. Champion jockey Phil Tuck, winner of the 1984 Cheltenham Gold Cup, saluted magpies while racing and named his house 'The Magpies' as a defensive measure. Ritualistic salutes to magpies are common among jockeys who believe stamping on new silks brings them good luck.
Sports psychologists argue these behaviors stem from wanting to feel in control. With training and practice, competitors struggle with factors outside their grip. Performing a ritual or clinging to a lucky charm offers a sense of thumbing one's nose at luck.
Sir Stirling Moss, legendary motor-racing driver, donned a lucky gold horseshoe pendant, always chose cars with a number divisible by seven, and had a simpler explanation: "Most drivers I know are pretty superstitious – maybe their reasons are the same as mine – that it costs nothing anyway, so you might as well be superstitious as not."
Such superstitions seem to be more prevalent in the realm of sports. Studies suggest lucky rituals boost self-confidence, helping athletes enter the 'focused' state needed for competition. Certain routines, such as pre-match music in dressing rooms, aim to hype up competitors, while others, such as knitting by the poolside, aim to soothe nerves. Rafael Nadal swears by freezing showers for empowerment before every match.
New Zealand-born tennis star Serena Williams neglected to wash her socks during her winning streak of 34 consecutive matches and five-time Wimbledon champion Björn Borg grew a beard during tournaments and refrained from shaving until elimination. A chance crash during the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix forced Scots Formula 1 driver David Coulthard to retire his lucky underpants that were riddled with holes.
Orderliness is crucial for sportspersons in their rituals, from rowers boarding boats right foot first to rugby forwards insisting on dressing themselves from the feet upwards. Jonny Wilkinson, the star of England's Rugby World Cup victory in 2003, wore the same white T-shirt under his England top for all his 91 international appearances and never warmed up in his England jersey.
Cricketer Neil McKenzie's superstitions included standing on any white line hesitantly, as if avoiding a venomous snake. He also insisted on closing all dressing room lavatory lids before going out to bat. After a team prank involving gaffer-taping his bat to the ceiling, McKenzie retrieved the bat and hit a century. He henceforth insisted on attaching his bat to the ceiling before every innings.
Among superstitions and charms, colors and numbers play a significant role. Some athletes believe specific colors or numbers bring bad luck, while others favor certain ones for their luck. For instance, the color green and number 13 are considered unlucky by jockeys, but contrary to popular belief, 40% of Grand Nationals have been won by jockeys wearing silks with either blue or green.
According to Nick Attenborough of Great British Racing, "They say horses are color blind – so it probably doesn't make much difference to them." When it comes to numbers, Seven is usually considered the luckiest, while the Italians fear 17, the Japanese four, the British 87, and Americans 13. Tennis icon Roger Federer was obsessed with the number eight and always carried eight water bottles and rackets on the court.
Noted author and journalist, Harry Pearson, twice won the MCC/Cricket Society Book of the Year award and was a contender for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and the Thomas Cook/Daily Telegraph Travel Book of the Year.
Sports participants often demonstrate notable levels of superstition, seeking comfort in rituals or lucky charms as a means to assert control over factors beyond their grasp. For instance, Henrietta Knight, a National Hunt trainer, avoids hay on race days, believing it brings bad luck. Similarly, sports psychologists argue that these behaviors help athletes boost self-confidence, facilitating the attainment of the focused state necessary for competition. Color and number preferences, such as Roger Federer's obsession with the number eight, also play significant roles in sports superstitions.
