One of my favorite elements that I miss from baseball is the thorough list of unwritten rules. You’d be surprised at how many unofficial rules of the game are deeply engrained in players. In fact, I’d argue that some unwritten rules are more passionately recognized than formal rules.
For example, did you know that there are mandatory high fives? That’s right. There are specific unwritten rules that require high fives. When a pitcher is pulled from the game, the entire dugout is to meet him at the top step for a high five. Score a run? See you at the top step. As a hitter, if you move a guy over, sacrifice bunt, or score a guy on a sacrifice fly, you can bet the farm that you’re teammates will be waiting at the top step for you, too.
This is called “picking him up,” which now that I type it out sounds more like emotional support than it ever felt back then, but the practice was universal. Watch any baseball game on TV and notice this the next time a pitcher is pulled from the game or a sacrifice bunt is executed. Hell, it’s this cultural norm that makes pranks like this all the more awkward.
If you don’t feel the same compelling need to high five a classmate in the gym after a missed lift, a made lift, a round complete, a workout complete, or just because it’s 6:20AM and you both made it to the garage, let’s change that.
High fives!
Logan Gelbrich
@functionalcoach
9/25/15 WOD
AMRAP 20
5 Shoulder to Overhead (155/105)
30 Double Unders
**Every 4 minutes athletes run 200m