It’s
not my intent to proselytize. Your religious beliefs are a personal
decision in which I have no desire to interfere. I’d merely like to put
forward some thoughts for baseball fans, of all faiths, to consider.
Notice
how I say “of all faiths” while not tacking on the socially inclusive “or lack
thereof”. That’s no oversight. Belief and baseball go hand in
hand. No true fan is completely void of faith. Even the staunchest atheists find themselves looking to some form of higher power when their team is down
by a run with two outs in the ninth inning and their best hitter in the on-deck
circle. There is no inconsistency of theology here. In fact, the
greatest mistake a fan can make is to assume that the God (or gods) professed by the world's religions – a god that hears the prayers of followers and grants mercy to the faithful –
is the same god that reigns over a baseball diamond. I submit to you that
it’s not.
At
this point, some of you might be saying “but God is the god of
everything!” It’s not my place to disagree. Instead, I’ll tell you
a story about former Mets outfielder and devout Christian, Mookie Wilson (in
his spare time, Mookie writes and records gospel songs with his family).
Back in 1999, I was able to participate in an MLB.com chat-room
with the retired player and his fans. Someone asked
"Do you believe God guided your groundball between Bill Buckner's
legs [in the 6th game of the 1986 world series]?" Mookie’s response:
"I don't think God follows baseball."But if the God to whom Mookie dedicates his gospel songs isn't following baseball, what kind of god is? Many devout fans would tell you it is a frequently spiteful deity - one who denies a no-hitter when some fool mentions it too early, dispenses curses that result in long championship droughts, and spoils play-off runs because fans let themselves believe [prematurely] it's a done deal. Yet there are also short bursts of benevolence that keep fans hanging on and coming back year after year, such as conjuring come-from-behind victories, honoring "rally caps", and rewarding what might appear to some as silly superstition.
And it's not just the fans. Players are infamous for prostrating themselves before the
baseball divine. I’m as guilty as anyone (I never
shave my face on a day my company softball team has a game). You may have even seen pitchers hop over the chalk foul line, when walking from the mound
to the dugout, in fear that stepping on the line will somehow anger the Lord of
the strike zone. From lucky socks to very specific pre-game
routines, every player has his own way of trying to win favor from a baseball power
greater than himself.
So the next time your team is down by a run in the ninth and you feel like saying a little prayer... go ahead. It certainly can't hurt. But don't forget you must also appease a much more superficial god. Do whatever you need to... whatever has worked in the past. Don't talk about impressive feats while they're still in progress. Definitely don't claim victories that haven't yet occurred. Above all else, never mess with a winning streak.
Finally, if you are a baseball fan who doesn't believe in any gods - baseball or otherwise - that's fine too. You may enjoy the one game a year when the St. Paul Saints (of the professional independent leagues) temporarily change their name to a secularized Mr. Paul Aints. The game is sponsored by a local non-profit organization, the Minnesota Atheists. Just don't be suprised when the person next to you puts on his lucky rally cap.
