The Magic of Baseball

Baseball – it's the American pastime, the American game. What is more magical than a day at the ballpark on a fine summer day? It is the perfect summer outing.

The Magical Game: The Spirit and History of Baseball's Superstitions, Rituals, and Curses, by Addy Baird, shows another side of baseball’s magic. For some, talk about baseball’s magic is literal. No other sport is as suffused with rituals and superstitions, and this book explains why.

Baird examines common rituals and superstitions surrounding the game and explains why they are more common in baseball than other team sports. Minor random events and effects mean the difference between even the most skilled player making a home run or getting a strike called.

You cannot control chance through natural means. So some players try supernatural means. Rabbit’s feet, lucky clothing, rituals before going at bat, maybe a special meal to gain luck. Afterwards they get a hit. Or make a spectacular catch. They try it again. They approach the next at-bat or game with more confidence, performing better. Luck works!

Baird shows that whether luck is real is immaterial, but whether the player believes it really counts. A similar mechanism works for bad luck – where a player assumes they are cursed, they lose confidence and perform worse.

Baird also shows this goes beyond players. Fans behave similarly, believing their actions count too – watching or not watching a game, getting up from their seat during a game or wearing certain clothing.

The author pokes into virtually every corner of baseball throughout its history. She examines the history of the game, its lore, myths, and legends, internationally as well as in the US. She explains why no-hitters are so wrapped in superstition. She looks at the changes in the game over time and discusses the changes sabermetrics and Moneyball have made in the game.

She also explains the truth behind playoff curses. The Boston Red Sox's playoff drought was blamed on trading Babe Ruth, the Chicago Cubs on kicking a goat out of a playoff game, and the Hanshin Tigers because fans threw a Harlen Sanders statue into a river. The reality is more prosaic and less fun: bad ownership and management.

Whether you believe in magic or not, The Magical Game is a delightful read. It offers a light-hearted look into baseball’s traditions and history. You can bet your lucky rally cap on it.

“The Magical Game: The Spirit and History of Baseball’s Superstitions, Rituals, and Curses,” by Addy Baird, St. Martin’s Press, June 2026, 304 pages, $29.00 (Hardcover), $14.99 (E-book), $19.75 (Audiobook)

This review was written by Mark Lardas, who writes at Ricochet as Seawriter. Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, historian, and model-maker, lives in League City, TX. His website is marklardas.com.