Each team in Major League Baseball has certain quirks and superstitions that they go through during the grueling 162-game season. Each team is different and knows what works for its clubhouse.
That’s no different for the World Series Champion Milwaukee Brewers, as they had their own things that led to a 103-win season and World Series victory.
There is one ritual Milwaukee had, that sums up its season perfectly and falls right in line with the hard-nosed, gritty style of baseball it played for the entire season.
Smoking cigarettes in the batting cages became a good luck charm
According to ESPN’s MLB insider Jeff Passan, one of the good luck charms for the Brewers during the season was players smoking cigarettes in the batting cages before games.
Passan revealed that Milwaukee’s philosophy was something like this; “The rationale is ridiculously perfect and perfectly ridiculous: If they smoke heaters in the cage, they’ll smoke heaters in the game.”
Brewers captain Christian Yelich spoke to Passan about the ritual, and Yelich revealed his mindset about it.
“You walk by the cage and see the cigs lit,” Yelich said, “and you’re like, the boys are ready to rock.”
