Athletes and superstitions go hand in hand. To ensure a victory through whatever means possible, athletes often engage in practices that may seem strange to an onlooker. Some chew on towels, some eat chicken before each game, and some drink beer – everyone deals with it differently. Aaron Judge chews on gum.

But while those beliefs have earned him Derek Jeter comparisons, Judge also has another habit that helps him refocus. Playing in front of a stadium full of thousands of fans is not easy, especially in the Bronx. To combat any negative thoughts, the outfielder has a perfect strategy.

Aaron Judge Discreetly Takes a Pinch of Dirt…and Throws It

While on the plate, every ballplayer uses their own strategy to drown out the crowd and focus on their next move. For Judge, the answer lies with Mother Earth.

David Fischer interviewed the Yankees player for his book, Aaron Judge: The Incredible Story of the New York Yankees’ Home Run–Hitting Phenom. The book was released in 2017 and gave some interesting insights into the slugger.

On page 129, under a section titled ‘Superstitious Star,’ the Yankees’ captain’s words read, “It’s just a way of slowing things down, taking an extra two or three seconds to grab some dirt,” he tells Fischer. “For me, all my negative thoughts that I have about, ‘How did you miss that pitch? Why did you miss that pitch? You shouldn’t have missed that pitch.’ I kind of crush it up, and once I’m done doing that, I just toss it aside.”

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It’s a literal motion that also has a metaphorical meaning. “Basically tossing all those thoughts out, like, ‘Hey, that’s done with. That’s over with now. Start fresh and get back in the box and get back to your positive thoughts and get back to your approach.’”

How Long Has the Slugger Had This Habit?

Judge was a star college baseball player at Fresno State University, which is where he refined his play. Fischer states that the Yankees’ outfielder came across the book Heads-Up Baseball: Playing the Game One Pitch at a Time in college and decided to adopt this habit.

The book, co-written by sports psychologists Ken Ravizza and Tom Hanson, details strategies for building up mental skills for the sport while playing under pressure. No wonder Judge found it useful!

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