# Share your recurring sports-related nightmares **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 30, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845 "2020-06-30T20:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/1 "2020-06-30T20:43:45Z")
I’m talking about nightmares that involve you actually playing the sport, and not related to fandom. I haven’t played competitive baseball in over 30 years, but I’ve always had this recurring dream in which I’m running as hard as I can between 2nd and 3rd base, and I can never seem to make it to 3rd base. I get to the point of panic before waking up right when 3rd base is finally within reach. Also, which positions in sports would generate the most nightmares? I’d imagine goalies in soccer and hockey, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/2 "2020-06-30T22:18:05Z")
I’m throwing a baseball, and the ball just slips out of my hand and falls directly behind me. I pick it up and try again…repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/3 "2020-07-01T02:34:14Z")
I threw discus in college and I still dream about the perfect throw. I was 2" off being an all american so of course I achieve it in my dreams. ---
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/4 "2020-07-06T01:36:57Z")
Mine is I’m told to go in and relieve the starting pitcher. But I keep insisting that I’m _not_ a good pitcher and I shouldn’t even be on the team! But they say “Get in there and pitch!” Me: This is insane!! What am I doing here?? Them: Shut up! Go! We need you! And I go in and pitch and it’s a huge disaster. I’m throwing stuff they’re just murdering me. And they WILL NOT TAKE ME OUT! ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/5 "2020-07-06T01:56:30Z")
I play goalie for a team in a local amateur soccer league, and sometimes after playing games, I will have mental visions of soccer balls coming at me at high speed, at times so vividly that I will flinch or thrust up my hands/arms up to stop the ball in bed, once waking me up from sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/6 "2020-07-09T21:52:38Z")
I never played soccer, except gym class, but have watched a lot of it throughout my life. When I see a goalie that just blocked a ball back into play, and then has to scramble to beat the opposing attacker to the ball, I am reminded of my baseball dream. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/7 "2020-07-10T23:51:14Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I haven’t played competitive baseball in over 30 years, but I’ve always had this recurring dream in which I’m running as hard as I can between 2nd and 3rd base, and I can never seem to make it to 3rd base. I get to the point of panic before waking up right when 3rd base is finally within reach. Not so much a nightmare but a geniune fear…As I slide into third, I’m beaned in the back of a head by a throw from right- or centre-field. That, along with my goofy, wimpier-than-fuck fear of getting beaned in the batter’s box, prevented me from signing up for baseball. (and opted instead for eight years of minor hockey. 🤔) In squash, having to play some contentious, petty blowhard who creates too many ‘let’ situations. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/8 "2020-07-10T23:54:20Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Not so much a nightmare but a geniune fear…As I slide into third, I’m beaned in the back of a head by a throw from right- or centre-field. This has me wondering: Is 3rd base the base on the diamond where, more than anywhere else, a throw is likely to come from behind the runner’s head? In other words, you have more legit reason to fear getting head-beaned from behind when running to 3rd than to any other base. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/9 "2020-07-11T01:34:07Z")
Not really. I would say the most common is a runner leading off of 1st base, and a pitcher trying to pick him off with a quick, but errant, throw. But a runner running to 3rd or home plate are probably the next most common. Other relatively common scenarios are runners trying steal 2nd or 3rd and getting hit by the catcher’s throw. It also sometimes happens in rundowns. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-recurring-sports-related-nightmares/913845/10 "2020-07-11T20:25:57Z")
Baserunners are still wearing batting helmets, so getting beaned – while still unpleasant – is not life-threatening. And throws are generally coming in at lower velocity than pitches to a batter, since they’re coming from farther away and are decelerating.