I’m continually amazed by baseball superstitions and jinxes. From the jumping of the baseline to the wearing of the same clothing articles during a streak. It’s all very interesting and personal for each player.
While most of these things change from player to player there’s one thing that every player, fan, coach, and announcer knows….You DO NOT mention a no-hitter until either the pitcher accomplishes the feat, or gives up a base-hit. There is nothing more defeating than the “No-Hitter Jinx”.
Well, during last evening’s Yankees contest color guy Bobby Murcer made a triumphant return to the booth after a battle with a brain tumor. It’s a great story, and the night was going well until….I’ll let reader Chris explain…
During YES’s telecast of tonight’s Yankees/Rangers game, Phil Hughes was twirling a no-hitter through 7 1/3 innings. Bobby Murcer had just come back; this was his first game broadcasting since his surgery. And honestly, I thought he sounded better than ever. He was even cracking decent jokes! But from the 6th inning on Murcer refused to stay quiet about Hughes’ no-hitter. It even got to the point where his boothmates Kenny Singleton and Joe Girardi were telling him to stay quiet about it.
So what happens soon after Murcer mentions the no-hitter? Hughes jams his foot on the mound during a pitch, blows out his hamstring, and the Yanks are down yet another arm.
Just another lesson for the young announcers that read the site. Stop jinxin’!
Welcome back Bobby…you’re a fighter and AA likes that. But come on….you know that rule, you played the damn game.
