When Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series historyRogers Centre on Friday, October 25, 2024, the roar of the crowd drowned out one quiet but crucial detail: he’d slept on his teammate’s squeaky pull-out couch the night before — again.
The Couch That Changed Everything
It started as a joke. After Myles Straw hosted Barger in his hotel room ahead of Game 1, the infielder switched to Davis Schneider’s suite. Schneider, a left-handed pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, recalls the request vividly: "He came in, looked at my girlfriend and me, and said, ‘Can I sleep in the bed with you guys?’" Schneider’s answer? "No. Couch. Pull-out. Squeaky as hell." The couch, a beat-up hotel model with a spring that groaned like a tired old man, became the unlikely stage for baseball’s newest superstition. Barger slept there on Thursday, October 24, the night before Game 1. He woke up to the distant sound of gospel voices echoing across the field — Voices of Fire, rehearsing with Pharrell Williams for the national anthem. Barger sat bolt upright. Schneider rubbed his eyes. The girlfriend? She just laughed.Then came the hit. A 3-2 pitch. A line drive to left-center. Four runs. A historic moment. And suddenly, the squeaky couch wasn’t just funny — it was sacred.
Superstition in the Locker Room
Baseball is built on rituals. Batters tap the plate three times. Pitchers wear the same socks. Hitters won’t step on the foul line. But this? This was different. A couch. A squeak. A teammate’s girlfriend’s side-eye. "He’s a head case, but he’s funny," Schneider told reporters after the game, grinning. "And now? He’s not moving. I’ve got two extra pillows and a blanket ready for Game 2." Schneider’s sister, Madeline Schneider, confirmed the ritual continued after the win, posting on X: "Addison slept on the couch once again following the World Series victory." The post went viral, with memes of Barger curled up on the couch beside a "Lucky Squeak" banner. The Blue Jays’ training staff joked they’d ordered a new mattress — but only after the series ends.Team psychologist Dr. Lisa Tran, who’s worked with the Blue Jays since 2022, says this isn’t unusual. "When a player has a breakthrough moment, the brain links it to whatever was happening around it — the smell of the locker room, the song on the speakers, the couch they slept on. It’s not logic. It’s comfort. And in high-pressure moments, comfort is everything." The couch didn’t cause the grand slam. But now, it’s part of the story. And in baseball, stories become scripture.
From One Night to the Whole Series
Originally, Barger planned to move into his own room after Game 1. But after the hit, Schneider says the clubhouse vibe shifted. "Guys started asking if they could sleep near the couch," he laughed. "One guy brought a pillow. Another asked if he could ‘bless’ it with a lucky charm." The Blue Jays’ clubhouse manager, Dave Lomax, confirmed the team’s unofficial policy: "We’re not forcing anyone to sleep on the couch. But if you want to sleep near it? We’ve got a spare blanket and a noise machine." The couch sits in Room 1207 of the Rogers Centre’s team hotel — a 15-story tower overlooking the field at 1 Blue Jays Way. The room, normally reserved for coaches, was upgraded for Schneider after he became a key reliever in September. Now, it’s a shrine to superstition.
What’s Next? The Ritual Spreads
Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 2024. Barger has already told reporters he’s "not moving." Schneider says he’s prepared to sleep on the floor if needed. "I don’t care. As long as he’s happy, we’re winning." The team’s front office is quietly considering branding the couch as "The Barger Bed" for charity merchandise — with proceeds going to youth baseball programs in Ontario. "It’s ridiculous," says assistant GM Karen Tran. "But it’s also perfect. People love this stuff. It’s human. It’s real." Meanwhile, the Voices of Fire choir has been invited back for Game 3 — and they’re bringing extra microphones. "We heard the squeaking," says choir director Marcus Bell. "We think it’s rhythm. We’re writing a verse for it." The twist? No one knows if the couch is lucky — or just loud. But in baseball, sometimes the noise is the signal.Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Addison Barger sleep on Davis Schneider’s couch instead of his own room?
Barger initially stayed with teammate Myles Straw, but switched to Schneider’s suite for the night before Game 1. He asked to sleep in the bed, but Schneider declined, offering the pull-out couch instead. What began as a humorous, temporary arrangement became a ritual after Barger hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history — leading the team to believe the couch brought good luck.
Is this kind of superstition common in Major League Baseball?
Yes. Baseball is full of rituals — from wearing the same underwear to avoiding stepping on the chalk line. Players often link success to seemingly random routines. After a big hit or win, the brain clings to anything that coincided with it. Barger’s couch is no different than a pitcher’s pre-game playlist or a hitter’s batting glove ritual. It’s psychological comfort in a high-stress environment.
How did the Voices of Fire choir become part of this story?
The gospel choir, led by Pharrell Williams, was rehearsing on the Rogers Centre field late Thursday night before Game 1. Their singing and movement outside the hotel windows woke up Barger and Schneider. The unexpected noise added to the surreal, chaotic energy of the night — and later became a quirky footnote in the couch ritual’s origin story. The choir has since been invited back for Game 3.
Will the couch ritual continue for future World Series games?
Almost certainly. Schneider confirmed Barger plans to stay on the couch for Game 2 and beyond. Teammates have begun jokingly "blessing" the couch with lucky charms, and even the Blue Jays’ front office is considering merchandising it. As long as the team keeps winning, the squeaky pull-out couch isn’t just a bed — it’s part of the team’s identity.
What’s the significance of the Rogers Centre in this story?
Rogers Centre isn’t just the venue for the World Series game — it’s the physical anchor of the entire ritual. The hotel rooms overlooking the field, the late-night choir rehearsals on the field, and the team’s suite layout all converged in one place. The location made the moment feel surreal and intimate, turning a simple hotel couch into a symbol of luck tied to Toronto’s home turf.
Has any other player in MLB history had a similar ritual tied to a historic moment?
Yes. After Derek Jeter’s walk-off hit in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, he was seen wearing the same socks and eating the same sandwich from a specific deli. In 2016, the Chicago Cubs’ Ben Zobrist kept his glove under his pillow after Game 7 — a ritual that lasted the entire postseason. Like Barger’s couch, these rituals aren’t about logic. They’re about control in chaos — and when they work, they become legend.
