HELENA — Baseball players and commonly thought as some of the most superstitious athletes. The Helena Senators, from coaches to players, don’t deviate from the norm.
There are standard superstitions.
“There’s kind of the generic, you don’t step on the line, when you cross the line. I still do that as a coach. I make sure I hop over the line,” said head coach Jon Burnett.
Some are solely done by an individual, whether it’s done on the field or at home.
“When I get ready in the morning, I‘ll do the same thing. Like if we win or have a good game, I’ll try to remember what I did and then do it again,” said middle infielder Matt Krieger.
“I always used to pitch with 31 cents in my back pocket. Just ended up with some change in my back pocket, had a good day,” said Burnett in reflection.
Other superstitions can be a special connection between two people, even if one doesn’t know it.
“Every time I go up to bat, I draw a ‘J’ in the dirt for my grandpa’s name. His name is my middle initial. I just think it’s a little special thing I can do and gives me a little bit of good luck up there.”
Though McGurran’s grandfather, Jay Jewett, noticed that Ty would draw something in the dirt, he had no idea what his grandson was drawing. Jewett thought it was just something his grandson picked up from watching baseball on television.
When MTN Sports broke the news to Jewett about McGurran drawing their common initial, he was touched, but not surprised by the gesture citing how close they are.
“He’s got a big heart, and he knows I‘ve been to a lot of games. When he grew up, I taught him how to play baseball, and we’ve just been pretty close,” Jewett said.
The Senators will take those superstitions into the first round of the 2019 AA State American Legion Tournament when they face the Kalispell Lakers July 27 at 10 am.
