Superstitions, crazy rituals and a fear of black cats are no longer reserved just for Halloween. All of these can be found when taking a peak into the workings of a college athletic team.

Former Baker University football coach Charlie Richard is remembered as being one of the most superstitious coaches in school history.

“Charlie Richard came here in 1980 and coached until he passed away in ’94,” former athletic director Dan Harris said. “He had a lot of success, but he was the most superstitious guy that I’ve ever been around.”

Richard didn’t believe in walking under ladders and despised the number 13. He once went as far as to detour the team bus when a black cat crossed in front while driving to an away football game.

“Charlie ran up and told the bus driver to back the bus up and do not cross the path of that black cat,” Harris said. “The bus driver backed the bus all the way back out the parking lot and went down a different street so we could get to our locker room to play the game, which we won I might add.”

Harris has seen numerous superstitious coaches and athletes over the years, but believes baseball may be the most superstitious sport around.

“One of the Baker baseball players was Juan Price,” Harris said. “Juan had a bat that was so old it was slightly bent, it was flat on one side, and it had a crack in it, but he would not let anyone touch his bat.”

It was with this bat that Price went on to snag All-America honors and set the NAIA national record with 28 homeruns during his senior season.

“He kept it in his car until the game started, then he would go get his bat and bring it up to the dugout,” Harris said. “If anybody ever touched his bat he would grab them and just threaten their life.”

Senior infielder Nick Peterson said superstitions have been a part of his baseball career since he started playing as a child.

“If I play well I will try to wear the same exact thing, same underwear, same socks, even if I played with or without my cup,” Peterson said. “I’ll even go as far as making sure my hat is on the same as it was when I was playing well.”

Peterson said it is the mental aspect of baseball that makes the athletes superstitious and prone to rituals.

“I think it is such a game of mental fortitude,” Peterson said. “There is a lot of thinking that goes on, and with that thinking, it is honestly not a very fast-paced game, so you have a lot of time to think about if you play well and that usual leads to superstitions.”

Senior running back Richie Bryant said he takes his rituals to the field before each game.

“Before the game I always walk on the field, or the opponent’s field, and I pray in both end zones and then I pray in the middle of the field,” he said.

Bryant said praying before games make him feel at ease going into the competition.

“When I do it I feel more comfortable,” Bryant said. “If I don’t do it, I feel kind of nervous, like things aren’t going to go my way since I didn’t do everything.”

Harris said after almost 40 years in the business he has seen rituals or superstitions in nearly every sport.

“When you get into the locker rooms and you see some of the behaviors and the things that guys do, it is really interesting to watch,” Harris said. “But they really believe in rituals and superstitions, and stick with them and they live by them.”