The Texas Horseshoe Pitchers Association

I was pitching in Waco, wearing my Texas A&M cap – I thought it was appropriate.  After all, 40% of my kids went to Texas A&M (Horseshoe pitchers think in terms of percentages).  I had one of my worst tournaments.  None of the other 60% of my kids went to Baylor so a green BU cap did not seem appropriate.

 

After the ugly exhibition of open pits and defeats I was consoled by some of the competition’s wives who happened to be from Austin.  One of them came up and told me what my problem that day was.  She said, "You know you have the wrong color cap."  I believe she honestly felt that if I was wearing a burnt orange cap I would have pitched lights out.  Is it possible that these kind of things have an effect on one’s performance?

 

Later I was practicing in the backyard one evening and I must have brushed my shoe against my baggy shorts 4 or 5 times on the delivery.  I thought man I wish I had one of Ed Harris’s patented baggy shorts preventers.  I don’t know for sure if he sells those or not.  I thought to myself that I should catch him at the next tournament and see if he would sell me one.  I notice Ed Arionus wears one also – maybe only Eds are allowed to wear them.  But I don’t remember Ed McFarland ever wearing one.

 

I decided I should try and find some jeans shorts that were tight in the leg so I could have them before the next tournament in Houston.  So I went shopping in search of the perfect contoured leg shorts to prevent the shoe from hitting the leg.  I found all kind of shorts – even those that would have come down to my ankles and had about 12 different pockets for things.  They just didn’t seem appropriate for pitching.  So my wife, trying to be the helpful wife she is, suggested having the shorts altered.  She said, "buy the shorts you like and take them to Mario’s near the mall to have them taken up."  Soooooooo I did – I went to Wal-Mart and bought 2 pair of shorts that seemed comfortable, but needed tighter legs.

 

So I took my two pair of shorts to Mario’s.  I walk in and there is a big room that is open to all and is full of mirrors.  There were two high school girls there trying on their prom dresses to get altered for the perfect fit.  So the clerk asks if I needed help – I said "Yes, this is kind of crazy but I pitch horseshoes and I need these shorts altered so the legs are tight and I don’t hit the shoe on a baggy leg.  I need them this week as I'm pitching on Saturday."  She said "OK" (the look on her face was a little weird) "Go try one on."

 

I go back to the little dressing rooms and put on one pair and came out.  So here I am at Mario’s with two high school girls trying on prom dresses and I am (old man horseshoe pitcher) standing there in jean shorts.  Mario comes up and asks what I needed – so I explain to him about horseshoe pitching and needing a tight leg etc – After having the same expression the lady clerk had, he says "OK." and takes up my shorts legs and pins them.  "What do I do now?" I asked.  He said, "Go back and change."

 

So I go back into the little dressing room thinking, "Man this is simple."  I pull the shorts off, being careful not to touch the sharp pins in the leg.  I grab my other shorts and stick my left leg in and then I raise my right leg up to put in the shorts but I catch the shorts on the way up, lose my balance and have to slam my right foot down – and in doing so I step on my wallet in my shorts and I turn my ankle.  This causes me to slam into the wall – THUD! And then realize I am in pain.  Much to my surprise no one asked if I was all right because I bumped the wall pretty good.  I felt so stupid.  I put my shorts back on and went back out to the front.  I gave the two pair of shorts to the clerk and asked if I could pick them up the next day – and was told ok.

 

And I limped out of the place and drove home.  My ankle swelled up a little bit – It hurt when I moved it a certain way.  I tested it out and felt like I could probably play on Saturday – but I did get an ankle brace.  I wore it Saturday and I pitched my best tournament of the year so far.

 

My question is – why did I pitch so well?  Was it the shorts?  Was it the ankle brace?  Was it the cap?  (I wore a non-university cap).  I never once hit my shorts with the shoe so I felt I had accomplished my mission.

 

I have 5 kids –    2 went to Texas A&M – 40%

                        1 went to Univ of Texas – 20%

                        1 went to Concordia Lutheran – 20%

                        1 went to Sam Houston State – 20%

 

Do you have superstitions?

 

Bob McCharen