I sincerely hope you are not one of the reported 60 million people worldwide suffering from
paraskavedekatriaphobia, a morbid, irrational fear of the date “Friday the 13th.”
Do you fear Friday the 13th? The term is called ‘paraskavedekatriaphobia’
Fear of number 13, on the other hand, is called ‘triskaidekaphobia’ pic.twitter.com/MvwVFDBO0T
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) November 12, 2020
A regular contributor to this column is www.Sportsdeke.com who asks this question:
Paraskevidekatriaphobia is which of the following?
a) A fear of Friday the 13th;
b) A Russian women’s tennis star.
In English, German, and Portuguese cultures, Friday the 13th of any month is considered a “bad luck” day.
Friday the 13th certainly impacts sports teams and athletes.
Many players avoid signing contracts on this day and are reluctant to wear jersey #13, however, that has not stopped PG Cougars sniper Koehn Ziemmer from having the number on his back.
NEWS: Forward Koehn Ziemmer has been returned to the Cougars from the Los Angeles Kings.
Welcome back, Ziems!
Details👉https://t.co/HAvJsKZ8K2#ForTheNorth • #WHL pic.twitter.com/9bqB7omfZz
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) October 1, 2023
Here is a list of 13 prominent athletes (in no particular order) who had no fear of wearing #13:
NBA:
WILT CHAMBERLAIN:
The seven-foot-one centre averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds during his NBA career.
The four-time MVP hooped a record 100 points in a game on March 2nd, 1962 against the Knicks.
He may be just as famous for another number.
Chamberlain boasted in his autobiography to have slept with more than 20,000 women in his lifetime.
On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain set the NBA single-game scoring record by tallying 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169-147 victory over the New York Knicks. pic.twitter.com/FdUHFFHqSY
— WiltChamberlain=GOAT (@WiltCha88777422) November 8, 2020
STEVE NASH:
While wearing #13 in Phoenix, Nash won two MVP awards and was an eight-time NBA All-Star.
Canada’s greatest basketball player has the fifth-most assists in league history.
JAMES HARDEN:
Harden may not be an ideal teammate but the Philadelphia 76er was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2018 with the Houston Rockets.
He is also a 10× NBA All-Star (2013–2022).
NHL:
MATS SUNDIN:
A nine-time all-star, Sundin averaged a point per game over an 18-season NHL career with Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver.
He is the first Swedish-born player to score at least 500 goals in the NHL (564).
Sundin posted at least 70 points in 15 consecutive NHL seasons.
PAVEL DATSYUK:
He averaged 92 points per season from 2005 to 2009 and was a key member of Stanley Cup-winning teams in Detroit in 2002 and 2008.
Datsyuk also was a four-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play) and a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward).
TEEMU SELANNE:
Selanne scored 684 goals and finished with 1,457 points in 1,451 NHL regular-season games.
“The Finnish Flash” played 21 seasons in the NHL for the Winnipeg Jets, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche.
NFL:
DAN MARINO:
A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, the former Miami Dolphins quarterback was the first player to pass for 5,000 yards in an NFL season.
Marino is arguably the greatest NFL player that did not win a Super Bowl.
KURT WARNER:
Arguably the greatest undrafted player in NFL history, Warner won two MVP awards (1999 and 2001) and was the quarterback who led the St. Louis Rams to a championship in Super Bowl 34.
Mike Evans:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver has had nine consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. Evans helped the Bucs win the Super Bowl in 2021.
ODELL BECKHAM JR.:
The Baltimore Ravens wide receiver has made numerous highlight-reel catches.
In 2016, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach both 200 career receptions and 4,000 career receiving yards.
Beckham Jr. captured the Super Bowl with the LA Rams in 2022.
DON MAYNARD:
The Hall of Fame receiver holds the New York Jets franchise records with 627 receptions, 11,732 receiving yards, and 88 touchdowns (1960-72). Maynard was a Super Bowl champion (III), 2× First-team All-AFL (1968, 1969) and 4× AFL All-Star (1965, 1967–1969).
MLB:
ALEX RODRIGUEZ:
A-ROD won two MVP awards and a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 2009, but his reputation took a massive hit after he was suspended for his use of performance-enhancing drugs, including his full-season biogenesis ban in 2014.
ROBERTO CLEMENTE:
Clemente was the National League MVP in 1966 and was an All-Star for 13 seasons.
On December 31, 1972, he died in a plane crash at age 38.
Clemente wore uniforms #13 and 21 during his first year in 1955 with the Pirates and wore uniform number 21 for the rest of his career from 1956 -to 1972.
#
Whether one is concerned about #13 or not, just to be on the safe side, I suggest the following:
- Stick a wad of gum on your hat when playing baseball
- Wipe the soles of your sneakers just before tip-off of a basketball game
- Avoid wearing yellow when playing tennis
- Fishermen are to throw back the first catch
- Rodeo performers are to always shave before a competition (only the men)
DID YOU KNOW?
The 13th day of the month is more likely to fall on a Friday than on any other day of the week.
The pattern of our calendar, days, weeks, and months, repeats itself exactly every 400 years.
In that 400-year period, there are 688 Fridays on the 13th.
The next Friday the 13th will be in September 2024.
Cat Scan podcast:
This is season six of Hartley’s Cat Scan, a weekly podcast show that predominately features the PG Cougars.
This week my guest is Bob Simmonds, Director of Scouting (Part 2).
This week Cat Scan #podcast; part 2 with @PGCougars Dir of scouting @RiderFanBob. He discusses qualifications for being a scout, having the final word at the draft, challenges of picking lower in 1st round, emergence of goalie Ty Young, & thoughts on the 2009-born draft class. https://t.co/zfkFOSlhtC
— Hartley Miller (@Hartley_Miller) October 10, 2023
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California
After a devastating beat down of the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers are overwhelming picks at No. 1 in most power polls. Given their recent playoff history though, I can’t help but think of Leonardo DiCaprio yelling ‘I’m King of the world!’ which shortly followed.’
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Dana White announced that Charles Oliveira is out of the main event at this weekend’s UFC 294 after severely lacerating an eyebrow while sparring. Call it an extreme case of splitting hairs.
*Comedy writer RJ Currie of Winnipeg
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. After growing up in Winnipeg, he has lived in Prince George for the last 44 years and is in his 11th season as the radio colour commentator on the Prince George Cougars home games. Hartley is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).