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Yankees: Player superstitions from the past and present

A superstition is any belief, behavior, or practice that is considered irrational, illusory, or supernatural. It is usually attributed to beliefs, behaviors, and practices involving luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings. A number of Yankees throughout the years have had some of their own.

Those who engage in superstitious activities believe that superstitions influence events by changing the likelihood of currently possible outcomes rather than by creating new possible outcomes. Baseball players whose primary goal is to perform well are more likely to rely on “supernatural help,” such as from lucky items and rituals, than are ballplayers whose goal is to improve their skills, abilities, and knowledge.