Baseball has no official patron saint, but the saint most players pray to is St. Sebastian, the Roman soldier-martyr who is the patron of all athletes. Some Catholic writers have proposed Blessed Michael McGivney, the parish priest who founded the Knights of Columbus, whose councils long promoted the game among Catholic immigrants, and fans sometimes invoke St. Rita, who appears in the opening of the baseball film The Rookie. Below are the saints for baseball players and fans, a few thoughts on the game, and prayers before a game, for a pitcher and for a Little League team.
A short prayer before a game, written for this page:
Lord, bless this game and everyone on the field.
Give me a sharp eye, a strong arm and a steady heart,
keep every player safe, and help me to play with honor. St. Sebastian, pray for us. Amen.
Saints for baseball players
St. Sebastian, patron of athletes (January 20)
Sebastian was an officer in the Roman imperial guard who was shot with arrows for his faith around the year 288. He survived, was nursed back to health, and was martyred after confronting the emperor. His courage and physical endurance made him the patron of athletes in every sport. See the St. Sebastian prayer.
Blessed Michael McGivney
Father Michael McGivney (1852–1890), a parish priest in New Haven, Connecticut, founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 to support Catholic families, especially widows and orphans. Over the following century, Knights of Columbus councils sponsored baseball teams and leagues, and the game helped many immigrant families feel at home in America. He was beatified in 2020, and some Catholics have suggested that, if he is canonized, he would make a fitting patron for baseball.
St. Rita of Cascia
The 2002 film The Rookie, the true story of a schoolteacher who made it to the major leagues in his mid-thirties, opens with the story of an oil well in West Texas named for St. Rita, patron of impossible causes. Since then some fans have called her the unofficial patroness of long shots in baseball. See the St. Rita prayer.
Baseball and the Christian life
Baseball is a game of patience, failure and sacrifice. The best hitters fail far more often than they succeed; a “sacrifice” bunt or fly gives up an out so a teammate can score. Those are good lessons for the spiritual life, too. St. Paul wrote (Colossians 3:23–24, Douay-Rheims):
Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.
Prayers for baseball
Written for this page.
For a pitcher
Lord, steady my hands and my mind on the mound.
Help me to trust my catcher, forget the last pitch,
and keep my arm healthy and strong. Amen.
For a hitter in a slump
Lord, you know how hard this slump is.
Give me patience, a clear eye and the humility to keep working,
and help me to remember that my worth is not my batting average. Amen.
For a Little League team
Lord, bless these young players and their coaches.
Let them have fun, learn teamwork and good sportsmanship,
and grow in courage and kindness. Keep them safe on the field. Amen.
For fans
Lord, thank you for this game and for the friends we share it with.
Keep us good-humored in victory and in defeat. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of baseball?
There is no official patron saint of baseball. Players usually invoke St. Sebastian, patron of athletes.
Why is St. Rita linked with baseball?
Because of the film The Rookie (2002), which opens with the story of the Santa Rita oil well in Texas. She is the patron of impossible causes.
Is there a Catholic connection to baseball?
Yes. Knights of Columbus councils and Catholic parishes and schools have sponsored baseball teams for more than a century.
More patron saints
- Patron saints of sports and hobbies
- St. Sebastian prayer
- Patron saint of soccer
- Patron saint of runners
- St. Rita prayer
- Patron saint of lost causes
Texts and sources
- Colossians 3:23–24 (Douay-Rheims).