Superstitions

WHAT IS A SUPERSTITION?

(Noun) A belief or way of behaving; a belief that certain

events or things will bring good or bad luck.

Triskaidekaphobia

#13 is bad luck

In the code of Hammurabi (an early law code dating back to ancient Babylon), the laws are numbered 1-12, skip 13, and

pick up again with 14. Babylonians considered 13 an extremely

unlucky number. No one knows why.

Starting PointLaw 1 . . .

Law 2 . . .

Law 3 . . .

Law 4 . . .

Law 5 . . .

Law 6 . . .

Law 7 . . .

Law 8 . . .

Law 9 . . .

Law

10 . . .

Law

11 . . .

Law

12 . . .

Law

14 . . .

Law

15 . . .

Law

16 . . .

Law

17 . . .

Law

18 . . .

The earliest documentation of #13 being bad luck is in the poem, “Song of Ishtar”.

The 13th line of the poem mentions the goddess of the dead, Ereshkigal.

Also, it is believed Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th person at the Last

Supper.

Literary

Connection

Connections

Pagan-Religious Connection

The Triskaidekaphobia superstition has also influenced sports in the following ways:

HOCKEY:

1. Not one successful hockey player has ever worn the #13 in the history of hockey.

2. There has never been a hockey player in the history of hockey that wore the #13 in a Stanley Cup game.

Triskaidekaphobia and Sports

BASEBALL:

1. #13 became an unlucky number in baseball when Brooklyn Dodger, Ralph Branca (pitcher), allowed Bobby Thompson to hit a home run off of him. Bobby’s home run was forever known as the "shot heard around the world.”

2.  AROD, #13 on the Yankees.

3. No pitcher with a number #13 jersey ever made it to a World Series. 

Triskaidekaphobia and Sports

May be anything that the owner believes has special powers

Good Luck Charms

Origin

Charms were

originally words that

were spoken or sung.

Now, charms are

considered magical

objects that bring

people good or bad

luck. 

Starting Point

In 1952, at the

beginning of the

Stanley Cup playoffs,

an octopus was thrown

onto the ice by the

Cussamano brothers

who owned a fish

market in the Detroit

West Side. 

This was for good luck.The 8 legs of the octopus represent the 8 games the Detroit Redwings must win in order to capture the

prestigious Stanley Cup.

Literary: When Tom Sawyer looses his lucky charm, a rattle snake bracelet, he refuses to go swimming. He thinks the bracelet protects him from cramps. Tom gives up fun because he is so superstitious. 

Religious: Religious medals are worn to bring protection or good luck to the person wearing the medal or charm. 

Connections

Sporting Rituals + Traditions

Athletes are a very superstitious bunch. They perform rituals before games to bring them luck. These rituals, traditions and superstitions make them feel comfortable before going into a game, brings teams together, or connects a team to past traditions. 

It is believed by

many that when you

perform well at

anything, you want

to do the same thing

over again. So you

duplicate what ever

you did to try and

obtain the same

result, winning. 

Some baseball players don't share bats. They believe a single bat has only a predetermined amount of hits in it. Athletes have lucky caps, lucky shoes, and lucky shirts. Some won’t touch the foul line. some carry a rabbit’s foot, or wear medals.