In Baseball Now, More Teams Pray Before They Play

Jon Moeller leads the Nationals' Baseball Chapel. (By Preston Keres -- The Washington Post)

"Course that doesn't always happen," Buford said with a laugh.

Which raises a theological question. As outfielder Preston Wilson, 31, who also prays during the national anthem, put it: "If the guy on the other team is a better Christian, is the other team going to win?"

Or, put another way: Do the Boston Red Sox, who have the highest chapel attendance in the major leagues, have an unfair advantage?

"I get a ton of people saying, 'Hey, Wayne, you gotta pray harder for the Brewers,' " said Wayne Beilgard, chapel leader for the Milwaukee Brewers. "I tell them, 'God doesn't choose sides in baseball. God is not a Yankees fan.' "

Yet, there is that temptation. One Sunday, during a Nationals game against the San Diego Padres, chapel leader Moeller and his friend Smitley were making the rounds. The game was not going well. Cepicky shattered a bat, and then hit squarely to the first baseman. In the outfield, Church flailed his arms as a ball rocketed over the wall.

"It's not the Lord's day," Moeller mumbled.

Jim Bowden, the Nationals general manager, invited Moeller and Smitley into his skybox. "Say a little prayer," said Bowden, gesturing to his four sons. They formed a circle, held hands and closed their eyes. "We thank you Lord, for Baseball Chapel," Smitley said.

From the stands rose a burst of groans. "What's up?" Moeller teased. "The Padres scored right there in the middle of your prayer."

The skybox prayer notwithstanding, Bowden has been a chapel fan since the 1970s when a Detroit sportswriter helped organize it. Not all management has been supportive. When Texas Rangers chapel leader Kyle Abbott played for the Phillies and the Angels in the 1990s, "players and coaches would say Christianity is a crutch." Bowden, in contrast, said he wants to build a real chapel, "with stained glass."

Nationals manager Frank Robinson would not comment. "Frank doesn't do religion," said team spokesman John Dever. When team members gathered to pray, Robinson stayed in his office, watching ESPN, with hitting coach Tom McCraw. McCraw cracked the door and said: "I don't go to chapel. I'm a sinner."

Some of the other players, such as third baseman Vinnie Castilla, said they prefer to pray at home or in church. Assistant General Manager Tony Siegle doesn't attend chapel either: "I'm Jewish."

The players not only pray, but they also discuss personal matters -- marital tension, addiction issues, family illnesses, financial stress -- drawing sometimes surprising lessons. Church was concerned because his former girlfriend was Jewish. He turned to Moeller, "I said, like, Jewish people, they don't believe in Jesus. Does that mean they're doomed? Jon nodded, like, that's what it meant. My ex-girlfriend! I was like, man, if they only knew. Other religions don't know any better. It's up to us to spread the word."