Plenty of rituals/superstitions in professional sports

Many people have rituals or superstitions when it comes to sports, including some of the biggest names in the pros.

The following are some examples from the world of professional sports involving either current or retired athletes:

WAYNE GRETZKY

The greatest hockey player ever, Wayne Gretzky would, among other things, apply baby powder to the blade of his stick. Explaining this practice, he was quoted as saying it was “a matter of taking care of what takes care of you.” He also would put his uniform on in a certain order and would fire his first warm-up shot wide right of the net.

PATRICK ROY

One of the greatest goalies in NHL history, Patrick Roy’s rituals included talking to his goalposts, reportedly thanking them when a puck was deflected off them. He also had a habit of skating backwards towards the net prior to games. Roy is the only player to win the Conn Smythe trophy as Stanley Cup playoff MVP three times.

SERENA WILLIAMS

Tennis great Serena Williams is said to have a number of rituals. Among other things, she reportedly has a specific way of tying her shoes, will bounce the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second and will stick with the same pair of socks during a tournament as long as she’s winning.

MICHAEL JORDAN

Basketball’s all-time greatest player, Michael Jordan starred at the University of North Carolina before joining the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. As a pro, Jordan would wear UNC shorts under his Bulls shorts.

LARRY WALKER

A former baseball great who started his big-league career in his home country of Canada – with the Montreal Expos – Larry Walker had a thing for the number three. He wore number 33 and happened to be a three-time MLB batting champion.

WADE BOGGS

Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, who spent most of his big-league career with the Boston Red Sox, was known for his pre-game chicken meals. He even wrote a chicken cookbook titled Fowl Tips: My Favourite Chicken Recipes.

(NOTE: Sources for this story included Business Insider, DailySportX and Sports Retriever.)

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