Tag Archives: social ettiquette

No Hitter Jinx

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student

Residence: San Diego, CA

Text:

When a pitcher is throwing a no hitter or a perfect game, nobody in the dugout is allowed to talk to the pitcher and nobody at all (including teammates, fans, broadcasters, and anyone else watching) is allowed to say the words “no-hitter” or “perfect game”. If you talk to the pitcher or if you say no-hitter you will jinx the pitcher and they will give up a hit.

Context:

Both of these rules are common practice across baseball, and my friend has experienced both of them first hand. In high school, one of his teammates had a perfect game going through 6 innings; when he was not on the mound the pitcher sat by himself at the far end of the dugout and nobody, including the coaches would talk to him. Normally coaches would ask how a pitcher is feeling after every inning and give them advice, but the coach stayed far away. The pitcher successfully finished the perfect game. As a fan, my friend was in attendance when the Mets pitched a no-hitter in 2022. Everybody knew that the Mets had a no-hitter going, and the crowd became more and more excited as they got closer to closing out the game, but nobody ever said the words “no-hitter”. People would count down the number of outs left, or ask each other questions like “do you think they’ll pull it off” but everyone carefully avoided the words “no-hitter”.

Analysis:

Both of these rules are in line with Frazers principles of sympathetic magic. The refusal to talk to a pitcher can be seen as wanting to avoid contact with the pitcher along the lines of the Law of Contact. If a pitcher has a perfect game going and you come into contact with him, then your imperfections could influence the pitcher and ruin his perfect game. The refusal to say the words “no-hitter” or “perfect game” follows a similar idea, but here you are not interacting with the pitcher but rather with the perfect game itself. By saying “perfect game”, a person is indirectly contacting the perfect game (if the perfect game is to be thought of as an object), and by contacting the perfect game the person risks magically ruining the game. Beyond the magical beliefs of a perfect game, there is major societal pressure involved with these rules. If you break one of these rules and a pitcher gives up a hit, people will blame you for it. To avoid the risk of being blamed, people follow these rules whether they believe in magic or not.

“Eddie’s Home”

Nationality: American

Age: 21

Occupation: Student 

Residence: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Date: 02/22/2025 

Primary Language: English

Language: English

Description: 

“In my family and other—I’ve heard it done other in other families too, but to like, signify or, like, tell somebody that they have something in their teeth, like at a dinner party or just like in public. You say that ‘Eddie’s home’. And you can be like Eddie’s upstairs, Eddie’s downstairs, Eddie’s upstairs in the left bedroom, etc.”

Subject’s opinion:

Subject:  I feel like that has a lot to do with, like Texas mannerisms and, like, politeness, because…you are like, very like, um…people pleaser, and, I don’t know.” 

Interviewer: Where did you first hear this? Do you remember? 

Subject: I think my family taught me, like, when I was little at the dinner table. Like I was told like, never to put my elbows on the table and that kind of stuff. So, like, as a…how to be polite, I guess.

Interviewer: Do you know why it’s called Eddie? 

Subject: No. I don’t. 

Analysis: 

Though the subject lives in Los Angeles, she noted that this piece of folk speech is deeply rooted in her family’s Texan tradition and highlights the American South’s great stress on social etiquette. The phrase itself—a code only understood by members of her community—reinforces presentation and politeness. It suggests that having something in one’s teeth is not only uncomfortable to oneself but also a violation of a collective commitment to cleanliness and sophistication. In this context, the phrase becomes a way to care for or protect someone, as it prevents them from potential embarrassment. It’s also clear that the subject was brought up in such an environment based on her reference to dinner table manners. The subject, however, displayed a degree of disillusionment towards her community, often putting on a dismissive attitude when discussing such practices. Though the subject did not elaborate further on these feelings, it’s reasonable to assume that she doesn’t entirely subscribe to her community’s commitment to upholding values on social etiquette. That said, the metaphorical code is incredibly vivid and engaging and left a strong impression on the subject. It’s an obscure yet potent piece of folk speech that not only reflects Southern values but also how and where the community engages in a rich oral tradition which “Eddie’s home” is only a small part of.

Head Nod Gesture

Nationality: American

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Age: 21

Occupation: Student

Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Performance Date: 02/17/2024

N.N is 21 years old and is from Burbank, CA. I am close friends with N.N and asked him to tell me about any gestures that he uses and is familiar with. N.N tells me about a gesture he has been using since becoming a teenager. 

“When I was younger,” N.N. recounted, “I saw N (his brother)’s friend, who typically didn’t speak much to me, nodding their heads slightly downward when they passed by me at school. It seemed like a way for them to acknowledge my existence, even in silence. Over time, I adopted this gesture myself and began to see it as a sign of respect or acknowledgment. It’s something I’ve noticed guys do pretty often when they meet each other, almost like a form of introduction or to recognize each other’s presence. I think it’s a way of showing that you notice people, even those you aren’t close to, ensuring they don’t feel ignored, particularly if they are strangers”.

This is a gesture that I am familiar with since I’ve seen other guys do this as well, mostly younger guys among my age range. This slight nod among men is a subtle, non-verbal form of communication. It’s about acknowledging others quietly. Culturally, I believe it’s tied to masculine norms, social etiquette, and a sense of informal familiarity.