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No American has anything bad to say about baseball. There’s a reason it’s called America’s favorite pastime. The sport has been with the citizens through thick and thin, hail and high water… Well, you get the idea. So, it’s no wonder fans and players hold on to anything that could tip the scales in their team's favor.
About superstitions and other traditions, it’s just basic human nature to want to believe that doing certain repetitive actions can shift things in our favor. For example, Wade Boggs, a former baseball player in the major leagues, would always do nothing less than 150 grounders during preps. He was also known to draw the ‘Chai’ symbol on the ground before he entered the batter’s box.
For another player, Turk Wendell, eating black licorice on the mound and brushing every time in the dugout supposedly brought him luck.
Ever heard of the sausage races that take place in the Milwaukee ballpark? If you’re a Brewers fan, here’s a Milwaukee Stadium shirt. Bernie Brewer started this craze. After every home run, he would soak himself in a giant beer mug in right-center field.
From pre-game rituals and traditions that could tilt the outcome of a game favorably to things that could jinx the game, baseball is one sport deeply rooted in many traditions and superstitions.
Okay, we’ll assume that not everyone who reads this post is a baseball fan. So, to help you understand a little more about the game and how it works, here’s a crash course in bullet points for you. You’re welcome.
Best believe that players from various teams hold on to anything that can help them hit a home run in the stadium against other teams. Now you understand why some players have special balls, bats, or gloves, right?
Whether you believe in these superstitions and traditions or not, countless fans and athletes believe they work. So, here are a few of these superstitions and baseball fan traditions. We have also added a fun fact with a t-shirt you can get for your father, uncle, or friend. You might be familiar with some of the superstitions. If you are, which ones?
Tradition: Milwaukee Brewers
Although somewhat insane, besides having Bernie Brewer, the sausage race is a long-standing tradition for the Brewers in which sausage mascots compete during the second half of the sixth inning during every Brewers home game.
It started promoting a sausage company in Milwaukee—Klement’s Sausage Company. These sausages were served at the Milwaukee ballpark before another sausage company, Johnsonville, joined the market.
After a while, the number of companies grew, and that’s how the sausage race came to be in the 1990s. It started with three companies: Bratwurst, Italian sausage, and Polish sausage. Now, there are hot dog, chorizo, and other companies that make the races fun. Rep your city and team with this Brew Town shirt.
Team: The Chicago Cubs
Wondering what this baseball superstition is about? Well, it involves the Chicago Cubs and is quite an interesting one.
So, during the World Series in 1945 at Wrigley Field, the Cubs played against the Detroit Tigers. There was a Greek man named William Sianis. He owned a tavern in Chicago then, the Billy Goat Tavern.
This man got two tickets, one for himself and the other for his goat. But he was denied entry because people said the foul odor of the goat was too much to bear. In a fit of anger, Sianis cursed the Cubs. He said they would lose the game and never win a World Series ever again.
Boom! It actually happened. Baseball fans everywhere agree that the curse is real because the Cubs lost the championship to the Tigers. They also didn’t win another world series after their last win in 1908.
The cubs did everything they could to break the curse, including inviting William Sianis’ nephew, Sam Sianis, and a descendant of the goat. Sianis declared that it was lifted during the 1984 playoffs. They called in a Greek Orthodox priest during their 2008 playoffs to sprinkle holy water all over the dugout. They even tried eating a goat! But the Cubs still lost their games.
It wasn’t ‘till November 2016 that the Cubs won the World Series again in the seventh inning. Imagine doing a seventh-inning stretch and victory dance at the same time. That’s when they believed that the curse was broken indeed. Thank goodness! Get your Ivy Outfield shirt here.
Team: Atlanta Braves
They won the 2021 world series! Yup. This is one of the first things you'll hear about the Braves. But another endearing fact about them is how the fans raise their Tomahawk chop during a game. Wear your Atlanta World Series tee with pride.
The Tomahawk chop is a gesture or chant the Braves fans use to cheer their team on during a game. Mostly, it’s seen as a war cry, a charge to go strong and finish in victory. The chop is controversial; some reports have said some Red Indians find it offensive. But it doesn’t appear so. The Tomahawk chop is still visible in the bleachers and games on t-shirts and screens.
Team: San Francisco Giants
This is just one of the several traditions of the Giants. Over the years, they have proved their mettle by winning the championship in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
The Giants fans are very vocal about their support for their team. So on Friday Night Games, the fans' tradition is to file into the stadium all wearing orange. Want your own San Francisco shirt?
The Giants started this tradition by introducing orange uniforms for Friday home games before the 2010 season. Since then, it has been a fantastic way to end the week and enjoy a good game.
Team: Kansas City Royals
In 2013, Lorde's popular hit, Royals, stormed the airwaves. But what most people do not know is that it can be attributed to the Blue and Gold team, or shall we say, the blue city?
One blogger states that a picture of George Brett, a legendary player for the KC Royals, inspired the song. Fans love this and wear it as a badge of honor.
During the postseason run, the song repeatedly played on radio stations around the city. Everything about it makes City Royals fans incredibly proud. The song may not be as popular as it was back then, but fans hold their heads up high as Royals - outside the monarchy, of course! So, you want a Royal Kansas City shirt?
Team: The Washington Nationals
Some may say that the Nationals have tried so hard to have their traditions but could not come up with anything genuine. So, they decided to copy the Milwaukee team’s race. Thus, we have the president’s race.
The race begins at the beginning of every home game in their ballpark. Usually, the former presidents of the United States wear their jerseys with their names and the term they served as the numbers. They also wear large foam caricature heads. Most fans look forward to seeing Teddy, which is short for Theodore Roosevelt. Wear your District of Champions shirt to show everyone who you rep.
Team: The New York Mets
If you attend a Mets game, you’d hear the song Take Me Out to the Ballgame blasting from the speakers during the seventh-inning stretch. It is a tradition that started as far back as the 80s. Nelson Doubleday Jr. heard the song at a Chicago Cubs game and took it to the Mets games because he loved it.
Sure, other songs have joined the seventh-inning stretch playlist, but Take Me Out to the Ball Game has remained a constant. So, the next time you’re at Citi Field for a game, sing your heart out and don your New York City shirt to show your loyalty and honor for this old tradition, just like you sing a national anthem.
Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Before you say anything about the Pirates’ awful history, think about their ballpark, PNC. It’s one of the most beautiful in the nation. Have you seen the skyline? Absolutely breathtaking!
The Pirates fans started a recent tradition of raising the Jolly Roger flag when the team wins a game. It began in 2012 and has become something fans look forward to. Raising the Jolly Roger flag gives a sense of joy and pride. It is believed that the logo has brought the team good luck since they adopted it. Fans believe that it helps the team do better during post-season runs. Might as well wear a Pittsburgh shirt for good measure.
Team: Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are known for hating the Yankees and playing Sweet Caroline during the eighth inning.
Truthfully, nobody knows why Amy Tobey, the team’s music director from 1998 to 2004, decided to play Sweet Caroline during the eighth inning. History has it that she had heard the song at other sports events and thought it would be a good listen for the Red Sox. Well, there you have it.
Sweet Caroline is now a tradition at every Red Sox home game. There’s no going around it. If you find yourself at Fenway Park, be ready to hear the song.
Team: New York Yankees
It’s crazy, it’s wild, and it’s adorable! Yes, it’s the Yankees' roll-call tradition. At the beginning of every game, fans chant the players' names on the field during the first inning. The player must respond, or the fans do not stop chanting their name.
This tradition dates back to 1998 when a fan known as Ramirez began to chant baseman Tino Martinez’s name. Some players might find it distracting but do not have a choice but to respond. However, the crowd loved it back then and still does. It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, just like this Pinstripes tank.
Team: Cincinnati Reds
The Cincy Reds are American history’s first and oldest professional baseball club. They have been around since 1869! Celebrate this with a cool Cincinnati City shirt.
One remarkable thing about this team is their opening day tradition, which is never celebrated outside their home. The Cincy Reds have never failed to go back home to open a season. It is such a colorful and eventful event. There’s pageantry, parading, and partying. Think of it as an unspoken public holiday.
This tradition is what many fans look forward to, seeing as the team could do better in the actual game playing. But we’ll take the party anyway, good game or not.
There you have it - some of the baseball fan traditions and superstitions in baseball game history. Baseball has a special place in every American sports lover’s heart. And if you’re one, you understand how these rituals help fans and players focus during games. Which ones do you believe?
Regardless, represent your city with any of the shirts in our collection. Our shirts are made from top-quality fabric that is soft, breathable, and comfortable. You can get a t-shirt, a tank top, or a hoodie. We have unisex and female options. Get in there and rep your favorite team!
