⏱️ 5 min read
Sports fans around the world participate in rituals and traditions that seem as natural as the games themselves. From singing specific songs to wearing lucky colors, these customs feel timeless and intrinsic to the sporting experience. However, many beloved sports traditions have origins that are far stranger than most people realize. The bizarre backstories behind these practices reveal fascinating glimpses into history, superstition, and pure happenstance that shaped modern athletics.
The Seventh-Inning Stretch and Presidential Discomfort
Baseball’s seventh-inning stretch is a cherished tradition where spectators stand up, sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” and prepare for the final innings. The widely accepted origin story involves President William Howard Taft experiencing discomfort during a 1910 game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics. As the 300-pound president stood to relieve his cramped legs, the crowd respectfully rose with him, believing he was leaving. When Taft sat back down, so did everyone else, creating an inadvertent tradition.
However, this tale may be more legend than fact. Evidence suggests the practice existed before 1910, with some accounts dating it to the 1860s. Brother Jasper of Manhattan College reportedly called for a stretch break during games to help restless students. Regardless of its true origin, the tradition has evolved into one of baseball’s most recognizable customs, complete with celebrity guest singers and stadium-specific variations.
Hockey’s Octopus Tossing Tradition
Detroit Red Wings fans have a peculiar playoff tradition: throwing octopuses onto the ice. This bizarre custom began in 1952 when brothers Pete and Jerry Cusimano, who owned a fish market, hurled an octopus during a playoff game. The logic behind their choice was surprisingly mathematical rather than random. At the time, teams needed to win eight games to capture the Stanley Cup, and the octopus’s eight tentacles symbolized each required victory.
The Red Wings went on to sweep the playoffs that year, cementing the octopus as a good luck charm. The tradition has persisted for over seven decades, even though the playoff format has changed and now requires sixteen wins for championship glory. The National Hockey League has attempted to discourage the practice due to game delays and ice condition concerns, but Detroit fans continue to smuggle cephalopods into arenas, with some octopuses weighing over thirty pounds.
Wimbledon’s Strawberries and Cream Connection
The association between Wimbledon and strawberries with cream seems quintessentially British and perfectly civilized. However, the tradition’s origins trace back to the practical concerns of Tudor England rather than refined tastes. During the 1500s, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey served strawberries with cream at banquets, establishing it as a luxury treat for the wealthy.
When the first Wimbledon Championship took place in 1877, strawberries were in season during the June-July tournament dates. The fruit was abundant, affordable, and refreshing in summer heat. The all-white dress code and proper etiquette emerged later, but the strawberry tradition remained constant. Today, Wimbledon serves approximately 28,000 kilograms of strawberries and 7,000 liters of cream during the two-week tournament, making it one of the world’s largest consumers of the fruit during that period.
The Green Jacket at The Masters
The green jacket awarded to Masters champions is one of golf’s most prestigious symbols, but its origin had nothing to do with tournament winners. In 1937, Augusta National Golf Club members began wearing green jackets so that patrons could easily identify them on the grounds and ask questions. The practical uniform helped distinguish club officials from the growing crowds attending the tournament.
It wasn’t until 1949 that Sam Snead received the first green jacket as the tournament champion. The tradition transformed what was essentially staff attire into the most coveted prize in golf. Winners may take the jacket home for one year but must return it to the club thereafter. Only the current champion and club members may wear green jackets off the Augusta National grounds, creating an exclusive fraternity. The jacket’s value is incalculable, though one sold at auction in 2013 for over $680,000.
Soccer’s Referee Yellow and Red Cards
The yellow and red card system seems like an obvious solution for communicating penalties across language barriers, but it emerged from a specific moment of confusion. During the 1966 World Cup quarter-final between England and Argentina, referee Rudolf Kreitlein sent off Argentine captain Antonio Rattin. However, the dismissal was so unclear that Rattin refused to leave the field for eight minutes, not understanding what was happening.
English referee Ken Aston witnessed this chaos and pondered the communication problem while driving home. Stopped at a traffic light, he had an epiphany: use the universally understood color system of traffic signals. Yellow would mean caution, and red would mean stop. FIFA adopted the card system in 1970, and it has since become standard across virtually all levels of soccer worldwide. This simple innovation solved international communication barriers and created one of sport’s most recognizable disciplinary symbols.
The Unexpected Evolution of Sports Customs
These traditions demonstrate how sports rituals often emerge from practical solutions, random events, or simple misunderstandings rather than carefully planned ceremonies. What begins as presidential discomfort or a fishmonger’s playoff stunt can evolve into practices that define entire sports. Understanding these weird origins doesn’t diminish the traditions; instead, it adds layers of human creativity, accident, and adaptation to the sporting experience. The next time fans participate in these customs, they carry forward stories far stranger and more interesting than the polished versions typically celebrated.