Claire Thompson
Baseball is a sport steeped in superstition, with players performing elaborate, repetitive routines prior to pitches and at-bats due to superstition. One such superstition is eating only chicken before a game. However, pitching coaches seem to prefer turkey over chicken, as evidenced by the joke, Why do pitching coaches prefer turkey over chicken? Because chickens balk. This joke plays on the baseball term balk, which refers to an illegal action by a pitcher that results in the batter being awarded a free visit to first base.
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What You'll Learn
Chicken as a pre-game meal
Baseball is a sport steeped in superstition. Players are known to perform elaborate, repetitive routines before pitches and at-bats due to superstition. Anything that happens before a good or bad game can lead to a new superstition. Some common superstitions include stepping on or avoiding the foul line and not discussing a no-hitter or perfect game while in progress.
One such superstition involves eating chicken before a game. Wade Boggs, a batter, is known for this pre-game ritual. While the reason behind Boggs' preference for chicken is not clear, it is possible that he believes it brings him good luck or enhances his performance on the field.
Eating chicken before a game could have become a superstition for Boggs after a successful game, leading him to associate the meal with his victory. Alternatively, he may have heard about other players' success with this pre-game meal and decided to adopt it as a ritual.
Chicken is a good source of protein, which is essential for athletes to support muscle repair and growth. It is also a rich source of other nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, and iron, which can contribute to energy levels and overall health. Therefore, there are valid nutritional reasons for Boggs to choose chicken as his pre-game meal.
However, it is important to note that while superstitions are common in baseball, they may not have a scientific basis. The performance benefits may be attributed to the placebo effect, where the belief in a particular ritual or action enhances confidence and mental focus, leading to improved athletic performance.
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Chicken's single-sound issue
Chickens are big talkers and they use sounds to convey meaning and intention. They have their own language, and while we may not understand it all the time, knowing the difference between the most common chicken noises is the easiest way to ensure the health, happiness, and productivity of the chickens in the long term.
Chicken noises are a language that poultry use to express their emotions and intentions, as well as warn of danger. For example, brief, quiet, low notes are generally used for contented, communal calls, while loud, long, high pitches indicate fear, danger, or distress. In this way, group chatter remains private to the flock, avoiding eavesdropping by predators, while warnings are loud and clear to the whole flock. Rising pitches generally indicate pleasure, whereas falling pitches signal distress, especially in chicks, whose calls alert their mother to attend to their needs.
Chicks in the nest make clicking sounds to synchronize development and hatching. When a broody hen hatches chicks, she makes quiet, low rumbles, which may help chicks to identify her after they hatch. As a mother or broody hen walks, she rhythmically clucks with soft, brief, repetitive notes: cluck-cluck-cluck. This call appears to rally the chicks safely at her side. As the mother hen settles, she purrs to attract the chicks to settle with her. Chicks will peep with a falling tone if they are apart from her, to which she responds immediately.
Chickens also make warning hisses and growls when protecting eggs and wanting to be left alone. An unreceptive hen may growl if approached by a male. Both males and females issue quiet, low growls of warning when in competition with each other, preceding a peck. Roosters also have a defensive scream that may contain a lower-pitched element of threat. Instinctively, we may recognize some vocal expressions. For example, pain is expressed by a quick, sharp squawk, and frustration is intoned by whining and a long wavering moan, called a "gakel".
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Chicken's tendency to balk
The phrase "why do pitching coaches prefer turkey over chicken" appears to be a joke based on the fact that chickens say "balk", which is an illegal motion in baseball that results in all runners advancing one base. The word "balk" comes from the Old Norse "balkr", which was a noun meaning an unplowed ridge. Over time, it evolved to refer to a ridge left unplowed by mistake and eventually took on the broader meaning of a "mistake" or "blunder". While the word "balk" is not derived from baseball, its usage spiked around 1880, coinciding with the rise of organized baseball. Thus, the joke implies that chickens tend to "balk", or make illegal motions, which would be undesirable in baseball, leading to their preference for turkeys in coaching.
Chickens' tendency to "balk" can be understood as their propensity to make illegal motions in baseball terminology. While chickens are not known for their baseball skills, the joke plays on the coincidental association between their vocalization and an illegal action in the sport. Balking in baseball is a complex and challenging-to-understand rule, often resulting in confusion among players and spectators alike. It refers to any illegal motion made by the pitcher that disrupts the play and provides an advantage to the runners.
The specifics of what constitutes a balk can vary depending on the situation and the governing baseball organization's rules. For instance, during the pitching delivery, if the pitcher fails to properly disengage the rubber, it may be considered a balk. Additionally, if the pitcher makes a sudden movement that is deemed deceptive toward a baserunner, it could also be called a balk. The rules regarding balks are in place to maintain fair play and ensure that pitchers do not gain an unfair advantage over the batters or runners.
Chickens' natural behaviour and instincts may contribute to their tendency to balk. Their nervous nature and flighty behaviour can lead to sudden and unpredictable movements, which could violate the rules of baseball. Additionally, chickens' lack of understanding of the game and inability to grasp complex strategies could further increase their likelihood of committing illegal motions. Their limited vocalizations, often reduced to a single sound, might also hinder their ability to communicate effectively with teammates, resulting in misunderstandings and potential balks.
Furthermore, chickens' physical attributes and natural movements may not align with the strict regulations of baseball. Their tendency to scratch the ground with their feet and their instinctual desire to peck at objects could result in illegal motions during pitching. Their wing movements, while adept at providing balance and aiding in flight, may not conform to the precise and controlled arm motions required in baseball pitching. These natural behaviours, though advantageous in a chicken's natural environment, could be considered deceptive or disruptive on a baseball diamond.
In conclusion, chickens' tendency to "balk" in the context of baseball humour refers to their vocalization that coincidentally aligns with an illegal motion in the sport. Their natural behaviours, instincts, and limitations may contribute to their perceived inability to comply with baseball rules, particularly those pertaining to pitching. While the joke plays on the word "balk", it also highlights the unique challenges that chickens would face if they were to participate in a highly regulated and complex game like baseball. Thus, the joke cleverly combines language, sport, and animal behaviour to create a humorous scenario.
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Superstition in baseball
Baseball is a sport with a long history of superstition. Players and managers are some of the most superstitious athletes in all of sports. If a player or team goes on a winning streak, baseball players will do whatever it takes to ensure it continues. For example, players may have routines they need to follow before every game, such as eating the same meal or always wearing the same clothes.
Some of the more common superstitions include purposely stepping on or avoiding stepping on the foul line when taking the field, and not talking about a no-hitter or perfect game while it is in progress. Other superstitions include eating only chicken before a game, like Wade Boggs, who earned the nickname "chicken man", or pitcher Justin Verlander, who eats three crunchy taco supremes (no tomato), a cheesy gordita crunch, and more. Some players refuse to wash their clothes or bodies after a win.
Pitcher Tim Lincecum emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball through his first five seasons in the major leagues, and one of the reasons for his success could be that he wears the same cap every time he is on the mound. Another pitcher, Ryan Dempster, has a superstition about where he eats before every home game. He always goes to the same Italian restaurant the night before each start at Wrigley Field, and this has helped him post a much lower ERA at Wrigley Field than his career ERA.
Some players take their superstitions off the field. Justin Morneau, the 2006 American League Most Valuable Player winner, wears number 33 to honour his idol, ex-NHL goaltender Patrick Roy. His ritual before every Twins home game is to stop by the same sandwich shop and order a Turkey Tom with no sprouts, followed by a Slurpee in the Twins clubhouse. In 2013, Bryce Harper said on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he eats waffles and takes seven showers before games.
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Pitching coaches' meal preferences
When it comes to the meal preferences of pitching coaches in baseball, there seems to be a prevalent joke that they prefer turkey over chicken because "chickens balk". This is a play on the word "balk", which in baseball refers to an illegal action by the pitcher while on the mound, and the verb "balk", which means to stop or impede something.
While this is a humorous take on the topic, in reality, the meal preferences of pitching coaches are highly individualized and likely vary from person to person. Some pitchers and players have their own superstitions and routines when it comes to meals before a game. For example, it is known that pitcher Justin Verlander eats a specific Taco Bell order before every start, while batter Wade Boggs eats only chicken.
The preference for certain meals or foods before a game may stem from superstition, as baseball has a long history of superstitious practices. Players may believe that eating a certain food will bring them good luck or contribute to their success on the field. It is not uncommon for players to develop elaborate, repetitive routines before pitches or at-bats due to superstition.
Additionally, meal preferences can also be influenced by personal taste, dietary restrictions, nutritional needs, and even the availability of certain foods. Some players may prefer lighter meals before a game to avoid feeling sluggish, while others may opt for more substantial or protein-rich meals to fuel their performance.
In summary, while the joke about pitching coaches preferring turkey over chicken provides a lighthearted take on the topic, the reality is that meal preferences among pitching coaches vary. Individual preferences, superstitions, and nutritional considerations all play a role in shaping their dining choices.
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Frequently asked questions
Because chickens balk.
Some common superstitions in baseball include players performing elaborate, repetitive routines prior to pitches and at-bats, purposely stepping on or avoiding stepping on the foul line when taking the field, and not talking about a no-hitter or perfect game while it is in progress. Some players also have specific food routines, such as eating only chicken before a game.
Yes, pitching coaches can also have superstitions and routines. For example, they may prefer eating turkey over chicken due to the belief that it brings good luck or improves performance.
