Lindbergh Refused to Wash Lucky Orange T-Shirt
Published on July 29th, 2024 8:13 pm ESTWritten By: Dave Manuel
Hockey players are known for being superstitious creatures of habit. The pre-game meal that is always the same.
The nap that always takes place at the same time.
The need to be the last player off the ice after pre-game warm-ups.
Goaltenders, however, take superstitions to another level.
Some goalies talk to their goal posts.
Some goalies make sure that every squirt of water from their water bottle is the exact same amount every time.
Pelle Lindbergh (RIP) had a very unusual superstition - he refused to wash his lucky orange shirt that he wore underneath his pads.
This superstition started during Lindbergh's rookie season in the NHL.
After playing eight games during the 1981-82 season, Lindbergh saw plenty of action during what was technically his rookie season.
Lindbergh played a total of 40 games that year, while compiling a record of 23-13-3. Lindbergh had 3 shutouts that season to go with a GAA of 2.99.
Lindbergh, who would finish 5th in Calder voting and 7th in Vezina voting that year, desperately wanted to keep his streak of strong play going.
This meant making NO changes to his pre-game routine, his pads or his uniform.
Lindbergh had a "lucky" orange shirt that he started wearing at the start of the 1982-83 season.
As the wins grew higher, Lindbergh became more desperate to avoid cursing himself.
This meant that his lucky orange shirt couldn't be washed, no matter what.
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As the wins in his rookie season piled up, Lindbergh's shirt became more and more rancid.
It became a running joke in the Flyers' locker room, but Pelle just couldn't bring himself to wash it.
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As Lindbergh's career progressed, he still refused to wash his lucky shirt.
The shirt started to fall apart, but no problem - Lindbergh just had it sewn back together.
Lindbergh continued to wear his lucky (unwashed) shirt right up until his unfortunate death in 1985, when he was killed in a drunk driving accident.
