39th Annual Student Research Conference
Ritual on the Rubber: a Content Analysis of Ritualistic Behavior Among MLB Pitchers During the 2025 Season
William M. Bergman
Dr. Amber Johnson, Faculty Mentor
This study examined ritualistic pre-pitch behavior among Major League Baseball pitchers using a mixed methods content analysis of televised games from the 2025 season. A total of 450 pitches from ten starting pitchers were coded for ritual frequency, duration, and complexity. Leverage Index values from Baseball Savant were used to measure situational pressure. Results showed significant positive relationships between leverage and all three ritual measures. As pressure increased, pitchers performed more ritual actions, spent more time in pre-pitch routines, and adopted more complex behavioral sequences. No significant differences emerged between pitchers, indicating that these patterns reflect shared responses to uncertainty rather than individual variation. The findings support anthropological and psychological theories that conceptualize ritual as a stabilizing practice in contexts of unpredictability and performance pressure, and demonstrate that ritual functions as an adaptive behavioral strategy in professional sport.
Keywords: Sport Anthropology, Ritual Behavior
Topic(s):Anthropology
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: -5
Location: SUB Georgian A
Time: 11:00