Baseball fans put a shoe on their head as a modern rally superstition called the "Rally Shoe." This began with a Seattle Mariners fan named Ben Cox during the 2022 MLB postseason. When the Mariners were trailing badly in a playoff game, Ben put a Birkenstock sandal on his head as a quirky and hopeful gesture to inspire a comeback. Other fans at the game watch party followed suit, and the team rallied to a remarkable victory. Since then, putting a shoe on the head has become a fun rally tradition among some Mariners fans, symbolizing a hope to spark a team rally and turn around the game.
Origin and Significance
- Ben Cox, the initiator, did it spontaneously during a difficult moment in the 2022 American League Wild Card Series.
- The shoe was informal and humorous, similar in spirit to the traditional "rally cap" which fans wear inside out to encourage a comeback.
- The rally shoe was so impactful that Ben's shoe was signed and inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame as a symbol of that historic rally.
Fan Adoption
- Following the initial incident, fans have sporadically put shoes on their heads at Mariners games as a fun, hopeful signal when the team is struggling.
- It has become an amusing and beloved superstition, with fans sometimes yelling "rally shoe" and wearing various types of footwear on their heads.
- The rally shoe tradition exemplifies baseball fans’ creative and spirited efforts to encourage their team during critical moments.
In summary, baseball fans put a shoe on their head as part of the "Rally Shoe" superstition that originated with the Seattle Mariners in 2022, where it symbolized fan-driven hope to inspire and energize the team to rally from behind and win the game.
