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 wearing jersey #13, however, that hasn’t stopped several all top greats from having number 13 on their back.
Here is a list of 13 prominent athletes that had no fear to wear #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
According to the 7’1 Wilt Chamberlain, he once had a 50-inch vertical & could deadlift 600 pounds.
Arnold Schwarzenegger said then he was the strongest human being alive.
And of course Wilt claimed to have slept with 20,000 women in his lifetime. pic.twitter.com/Fm5gc1fb94
— PBA insider ? (@PBAinsider) May 28, 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 third-most assists in league history behind only John Stockton and Jason Kidd.
Nash is now the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
Retweeted NBA (@NBA):#18HoopClass@SteveNash‘s TOP 13 PLAYS with the @Suns! pic.twitter.com/DPL1BCVy3o https://t.co/8MRE3geiVe
— Derek Masselink (@derekmasselink) April 1, 2018
JAMES HARDEN:
Harden was the NBA Most Valuable Player (2018) and 6× All-NBA First Team (2014, 2015, 2017–2020) All-Star with the Houston Rockets.
James Harden best season
2018-19:
◾️36.1 points 7.5 assists 2 steals
◾️scoring leader
◾️2nd in mvp voting and PER
◾️2nd in steals per game
◾️7th in assists per game
◾️3x player of the month pic.twitter.com/VtJFO9NWTE— nba.facts (@thenbafactss) August 30, 2020
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.
Just watched 2001 playoff game: #TorontoMapleLeafs beat Ottawa Senators 1-0 on an overtime goal by Mats Sundin.
2 Thoughts:
* Hockey pros are more skilled today than 20 years ago
* Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph was super. We could still use him.
Winning goal: https://t.co/7gJkj4vnP1— Rick Spence (@rickspence) April 12, 2020
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).
Congratulations to Pavel Datsyuk on becoming the 28th player and the 7th Russian to join the Triple Gold Club.
Datsyuk won the Stanley Cup in 2002 and 2008, the World Championships in 2012 and 2018 Olympic Gold. pic.twitter.com/DDhgReAHLT
— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) February 25, 2018
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. He is the highest-scoring Finn in NHL history. He wore both #13 and #8 in his career.
Man, did I really enjoy the Teemu Selanne tribute in warmups during last night’s #NHLJets game. pic.twitter.com/GLD1El3AFi
— Michael Remis (@mremis) January 13, 2015
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 never to win a Super Bowl.
IT’S GAMEDAY! Who’s ready??#fakespike #finsup #dolphinsvsjets pic.twitter.com/CrKsqekr34
— Dan Marino (@DanMarino) October 18, 2020
KURT WARNER:
Arguably the greatest undrafted player in NFL history, Warner won two MVP awards (1999, 2001) and was the quarterback that led the St. Louis Rams to a championship in Super Bowl 34.
St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner was last league MVP to win the Super Bowl in the same season, when the Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV on January 30, 2000. The Rams record-breaking offense in the 1999-2001 seasons was dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf” pic.twitter.com/IdXpg7rM5K
— Animated Trivia (@Mike24816Trivia) June 20, 2019
ODELL BECKHAM JR.:
The Cleveland Browns wide receiver has made numerous highlight-reel catches, some of them one-handed.
Beckham’s season came to an end after suffering a torn ACL this year against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 2016, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach both 200 career receptions and 4,000 career receiving yards.
His career highlights include 3× Pro Bowl (2014–2016) and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2014)
Where the rest of the clip!!! When I was cookin u! ??? https://t.co/nh0ttMBDe2
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) June 27, 2020
MICHAEL THOMAS:
The New Orleans Saints wide receiver may not get along with all of his teammates but the 2016 Rookie of the Year was also the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. His career highlights include: 3× Pro Bowl (2017–2019)
2× First-team All-Pro (2018, 2019).
New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas Named NFL Offensive Player of the Year https://t.co/ELGqw1WTE5 @999ktdy
— 99.9 KTDY (@999ktdy) February 2, 2020
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)
Don Maynard & Joe Namath representing the current New York Jets. @nyjets @NFL_Journal @NFL @ProFootballHOF @Super70sSports @Espngreeny pic.twitter.com/ejCzBkWEiP
— NFL Classic! (@79_nfl) October 17, 2019
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.
Happy 45th Birthday to the 3x MVP, 14x All-Star, and 2009 champ, Alex Rodriguez!! #PinstripePride pic.twitter.com/TLqt3ZwZyo
— Yankees Baseball (@PinstripePride) July 27, 2020
ROBERTO CLEMENTE:
Clemente was the National League MVP in 1966 and was an All-Star for 13 seasons. The former Pittsburgh Pirate
was also a Gold Glove Award winner for 12 consecutive seasons from 1961 through 1972. On December 31, 1972, he died in a plane crash at the age of 38. Clemente wore uniform number 13 and 21 during his first year in 1955 with the Pirates and wore uniform number 21 the rest of his career from 1956 -1972.
On July 21, 1956, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brooks Lawrence had a 13-0 record and was facing the Pittsburgh Pirates. A young Roberto Clemente made sure Lawrence didn’t end the day 14-0 https://t.co/FPbexXVx7h pic.twitter.com/KNRK6nSLNH
— John Dreker (@JohnDreker) August 4, 2020
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 Friday the 13ths.
The next Friday the 13th will be in August 2021.
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
After Notre Dame upset Clemson in South Bend, thousands of Irish fans stormed and covered the field. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta called this Notre Dame’s Spread Offence.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Notre Dame fans swarm field after defeating Clemson, causing COVID-19 concerns: https://t.co/ALXRvkclHv#NotreDame pic.twitter.com/hRnSjSkb2Z
— PopCulture.com (@PopCulture) November 10, 2020
New York Mets President Sandy Alderson says with new owner Steve Cohen he wants to turn the team into an “Iconic franchise.” Well, for comedy writers, they already are.
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
MLB announced it won’t discipline Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner for returning to the field to celebrate his team’s World Series championship after testing positive midgame for COVID-19. Hey, it was either that or suspend him for 10 spring-training games.
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
IN CASE, YOU MISSED IT
A recent study said the key to happiness is when we believe we must be completely selfish. The study is titled Donald Trump loses the presidential election.
*Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97.
He also is the 94.3 the Goat radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]