Baseball Magic by George Gmelch

In the article "Baseball Magic" by George Gmelch, it reveals how baseball players perform certain rituals before a game to increase their chances of "winning". Centered on the idea that baseball is an occupation not a hobby, the seriousness of the superstitions that each of the players have, seem ritualistic and even normal. "Baseball Magic" brings to attention that two very different cultures, American Baseball and Trobriand Islanders, seem to have very similar qualities and ideas. This idea being, that if one were to change the way of doing something, any luck you had before would overall disappear. Not only are these ideas and beliefs taken very seriously, but also need to be accurate and precise.

This article starts off with some examples that reveal how a certain baseball player is and acts before being active or playing. Dennis Grossini, a Detroit Tiger pitcher, performs certain rituals before he does anything. Dennis Grossini wakes up at the same time, eats lunch at the same time, and orders the same food as well. His mentality being that all he needs to do is live the same way he did when he won the game. That the outcome will always be the same. Some may think that this is just stupid, but in reality it may work.

When outfielder Ron White played for the Calgary Cannons, he shaved his arms once a week and kept at his "ritual" before losing a game. This superstitious behavior started when he received an injury two years ago. His streak of homeruns while his arm was taped was all it took for Ron White to keep his arm the exact same way in all future games for what he believed to be the best results.

It only takes one win, or one homerun to start a ritual or superstition for someone. Holding on to luck seems more calming to players and gives them a certain factor they could rely on, other than there given skills. Once a winning streak begins, there is no telling how far a player would go with their rituals and when it will stop.

The most common way players attempted to reduce their chance and feeling of ambiguity was to develop a daily routine. These spiels included tugging on their caps, hitting or bouncing bats on a plate, touching their uniform letters or medallions, and many other

According to anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, Trobriand Islanders feel the same way about their fishing as Americans baseball players do with baseball. Among the Trobrianders, fishing takes two forms: in the inner lagoon where fish were plentiful and there was little danger, and on the open sea where fishing was dangerous and yields varied widely.

Malinowski found that magic was not used in lagoon fishing, where men could rely solely on their knowledge and skill. But when fishing on the open sea, Trobrian Islanders used a great deal of magical ritual to ensure safety and increase their catch.

Baseball, one of America's national pastimes, is