Sign of the Cross

I grew up Catholic. Went to St. Mark's grammar school in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn NYC.  

The nuns taught us the sign of the cross.  What the sign of the cross involves is using your right hand to touch your forehead, then your heart area,  then your left shoulder, and then your right shoulder.  It was a sign that indicated we believed in God the Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. 

Many decades ago, I was playing baseball in a league and decided to make the sign of the cross when stepping into the batter's box.  I'm not sure where I got that idea.  But the ritual made me feel much more confident at the plate.

However, my manager said back then, "Don't do that sign of the cross.  I'll tell you why."

He never told me why or why not.  But I stopped using the sign of the cross as per the manager's directive.  Truly, I had felt better using the sign of the cross when I was up to bat.  Like God was on my side.

Decades later, now (August 2021), when I watch Major League Baseball (Mets mostly), so many players use the sign of the cross before they are at bat, and especially after getting a hit. Or, after getting a big hit, they might do some sort of gesture that symbolizes thanks to Heaven.  OK.  Up to them.

But let's say I'm pitching and I give up the winning home run to a batter who uses the sign of the cross, and he crosses home plate while using the sign of the cross or some other sort of thanks to Heaven. 

As the pitcher who gave up the home run, I would use a Brooklyn hand sign towards the Heavens, and ask, "WTF?  Why did you let him hit a home run off me?  WTF?" 

Previous paragraph would be a good skit, methinks.