Baseball Superstitions: Turk Wendell & Dr. Stuart Vyse

About this episode

This episode explores the fascinating world of baseball superstitions with insights from former MLB pitcher Turk Wendell and psychologist Dr. Stuart Vyse.

Baseball has always been a game of routines, rituals, and maybe a little bit of magic. This week on Sources Tell Jeff Passan, Jeff explores the fascinating world of baseball superstitions. Former MLB pitcher Turk Wendell—one of the most famously superstitious players in baseball history—joins the show to discuss the routines that defined his career and why he never considered them superstitions at all. Then, psychologist and author Dr. Stuart Vyse breaks down the science behind superstition: why athletes cling to rituals, why we believe certain behaviors can influence outcomes, and what those habits reveal about the human mind. From the mound to the mind, this episode examines why superstition has remained such a powerful part of baseball culture for generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Jeff Passan

Guests: Turk Wendell, Dr. Stuart Vyse

Topics covered

• baseball superstitions
• athlete rituals
• psychology of superstition
• Turk Wendell
• Dr. Stuart Vyse
• baseball culture

Keywords

• baseball
• superstitions
• rituals
• Turk Wendell
• Dr. Stuart Vyse
• psychology
• athletes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ESPN, Omaha Productions

More episodes of Sources Tell Jeff Passan

• Where Should MLB Expand? Six Cities Make Their Case · September 8, 2026 · 1h 10m
• The Magic of September Baseball: When Anything Can Happen · September 1, 2026 · 54 min
• Inside Dodgers Owner Mark Walter’s Billion-Dollar Insurance Scandal · August 25, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Newly Discovered Footage: Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr Debate the Art of Hitting · August 18, 2026 · 1h 21m
• Top 10 Storylines that AREN'T the Dodgers · August 11, 2026 · 53 min
• Trade Deadline Winners & Losers · August 4, 2026 · 1h 15m