West Point overcomes superstition at Little League Softball World Series

Superstitions have long been a part of sports.

Tiger Woods always wore a red shirt when he walked onto a golf course on Sundays.

Michael Jordan used to wear his college practice shorts from North Carolina under his Chicago Bulls uniform shorts.

Wade Boggs had to eat chicken before every baseball game he played.

And who remembers hockey goaltender Patrick Roy talking to goalposts?

The list goes on, and the West Point 12U softball girls are part of it.

The team playing in the Little League Softball World Series in rain-soaked Greenville, N.C., was issued uniforms when they arrived for the global tournament: blue tops, black pants.

West Point lost its opening game to Arizona, 2-1. The team wore red game pants when it won state and Mid-Atlantic Region titles, and brought the reds to North Carolina. They were wearing blue when they lost a game in the state tournament, so they ditched the blues.

Superstition beckoned them to make a change for their second game at the LLSWS.

West Point wanted to switch back to the red threads but were not permitted to break uniform rules. They wore the league-issued outfit instead for their first game in the loser’s bracket, and won 2-1 over Italy.

Maybe the black slacks aren’t so bad.

“We like our reds,” coach Tina Madison said. “But we understand. We are going to win in black pants.”

West Point assistant coach Bob Madison brings superstition to the dugout.

“I like to wear the same socks, undershirt and shoes,” he said. “I do wash them though.”

Also, “I try to sit in the same spot in the dugout, get drinks at the same time in between innings, stand a certain way coaching first (and other things),” Bob Madison said.”When things aren’t going well, I try to switch it up to change the juju.”

From the time West Point took the stage at the opening ceremony waving Terrible Towels with “Black and Yellow” blaring in the background, the World Series has been a softball party that seems like it will never end.

The event goes from Sunday to Sunday, with something to do every day. And the pageantry is weaved into the schedule of games.

The team went to a players’ party at a local arcade, heard UCLA standout Maya Brady speak and met pro players from Athletes Unlimited.

“It’s been an amazing experience for the girls so far,” Madison said. “I mean, there are pro players here at our hotel. There is so much for the girls to do and enjoy. It’s a special week.”

After a rainout Wednesday, West Point is scheduled to play the winner of Arizona and Philippines at 5 p.m. Thursday, but the schedule is in jeopardy because of persistent rain from Tropical Storm Debby that has already postponed several games.