Superstitions rampant in Sports

Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster. An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting.
Bailey, played 61 Test matches with the top score of 134 not out. With his right-arm fast bowling, he had 132 wickets with a adequate bowling average of 29.21. He had five five-wicket hauls and one 10 wicket haul with seven for 34 as his best bowling.

Sir Leonard “Len” Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire and England before and after the Second World War as an opening batsman. Len Hutton played 79 Test matches and scored 6,971 runs with a superb batting average of 56.67. Right hander had 19 hundreds and 33 half tons with the top innings of 364.

Sir Everton DeCourcy Weekes, KCMG, GCM, OBE is a leading former West Indian cricketer from Barbados. Along with Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott, he formed what was known as “The Three Ws” of West Indian cricket. Weekes had a remarkable batting average of 58.61 in his 48-match Test career with 15 hundreds and 19 fifties, his best innings was 207.

"There is nothing either good or bad about superstition but thinking makes it so”. These words were said by Hamlet. Yet one wonders whether one can apply this saying to normal day to day life. While it is teampting to scoff at them, for one is afraid of the likely heart-breaks.

Superstition is supposed to be invoking the blessings for victory and to ward off the effect of evil spirits. Belief in Superstition is like snoring which we all vehemently deny while awake.

Wrestlers, weighlifters observe this custom in modified form and sometimes are unwillings to enter the arena without offering prayers to their guru.

The game of cricket and cricketers in the early days had a similar sight which became very familiar when Kardar’s Pakistan team toured India in 1952. Hanif Mohammed, the little master, before facing a bowler touched his belly, thumped his chest and adjusted his cap as if he was going through a whole process of short silent prayer. If and when he missed doing this, his skipper a few heart beats and the nest man was seen walking to the wicket.

Hemu Adhikari had a habit which will satisfy the moderns while not letting down the superstitious folk. While walking to bat the first thing on which he would set his eye on is the sun which, he scientifically-minded would tell that he is getting adjusted to the light. The others maintain that Henu, being a worshipper of the sun, looks at it in a prayerful mood.Cricket, modern in outlook and democratic in character, has its roots deep in the past. It has no use for reason or logic or else it would lose its glory of being a game of uncertainties.

Colonel Hemchandra Ramachandra Adhikari an Indian cricketer, representing his country, both as a player and coach in a career that spanned three decades. Right handed Adhikari played 21 Test matches with the top score of 104.

Hanif Mohammed is a former Pakistan cricketer. He played for Pakistan cricket team in 55 Test matches between 1952/53 and 1969/70 and averaged 43.98, with twelve hundreds. Right hander’s top score is 337 with dozen centuries.

Even in the present age it retains like old wine some of its prized characteristics. One of them had faith in superstitions. In the good old days cricketers had been advised by Trever Bailey: “Cricketers are notoriously superstitious. If you ask one to dinner before a big match make sure that duck is not on the menu; while if your guest has failed to score in either innings, pears for the dessert are most unwelcome. Even the Great Master – Sir Leonard Hutton, was not free from superstitions.

He would sooner be reconciled to scoring a duck than part with a five-shilling coin given to him by his grandfather’s friend with the advice never to part with it. He got this coin when he scored his first 50 for Pudsey. He had told his friends on the same occasion when the coin was not with him, he broke his arm in an Army gymnasium. The coin was used for the toss.

Queer were the beliefs of Everton Weekes who thought that his favourite Barbados cap is more responsible for big scores than his prowess in wielding the willow. Once in England, he wore the national (West Indies) red cap and was out to a low score and in the next innings he was seen wearing his favourite cap and he scored a century!

”Bill” Edrish and Sir Jack Hobbs put on the left pad first; Insole wore a particular shirt, Warr on the 1961 Australian tour ran into the pavilion and stroked a well-koala bear (presented to the team) when in need of a wicket; Denis Coupon carried a silver four-leaf clover; Hugh Tayfield kissed the Springbok in his cap when he felt the need of luck to get a wicket and A.H. Kardar, carried a King Heoarge VI penny which was minted in 1945, the year he entered first class cricket.