Most folks, when asked what ‘hand’ they are, answer that they are either left-handed or right-handed. I, however, am not sure.
I played golf (once upon a time) right-handed. I bat right- handed. I perform surgery with either hand, but am more comfortable with the right; ditto basketball. I am not, however, like the pro basketball player who said ‘I shoot with my left hand and I shoot with my right hand. Man, I’m amphibious!’
In writing, however, it is the opposite. I can write with either hand, but I prefer the left hand. Although I prefer to do most things right- handed, I still consider myself a ‘leftie.’ I think it is because of the quirky world of left- handedness and the way the majority (right- handers) view us.
Left -handedness, however, has historically been viewed with distrust. Stories have been told about nuns in parochial schools rapping left hand knuckles to force the children to use their right hand. If you get a prescription from your eye doctor, it may have two sets of initials: OS and OD. They indicate the eye that is to get a particular lens. OD represents the right eye, oculus dexter. OS represents the left eye, oculus SINISTER (emphasis mine). Yes, this is where we get the word ‘sinister.’ It is Latin for ‘left.’ Why might this be?
In the Bible, we learn that the Israeli tribe of Benjamin had a large number of left-handed men (Judges 20:16) One assassination was done by a sneaky left hander (Judges 3:12-30). It is interesting that all left handers or ambidextrous men (1 Chronicles, 12:2) in the Bible were Benjamites. God must have had a sense of humor because ‘Benjamin’ translates as ‘son of the right hand.’
In any event, left handedness was an advantage in battle; also a ‘sinister’ characteristic. In battle, a right handed man coming up to another man whose right hand is empty, might fall victim to a surprise blow from a left handed weapon.
The right hand is always used in a handshake. The handshake is thought to derive from the salute and the salute derives from the days of armor. Men would lift the visor of their helmet, always with the right hand; first to show a friendly face and second to show that their right hand is empty. A left handshake is meaningless. A left handed salute is not accepted. A left-handed compliment is actually a hidden insult. The pledge of Allegiance is always done with the right hand over the heart.
The actual advantage of left handedness is apparent in mano-a-mano combat. Remember the movie ‘Rocky’? Apollo Creed’s trainer was worried because Rocky was left-handed and Creed had never fought a lefty and wasn’t training with one before the fight. Hand to hand or with weapons, a left hander has lots of experience facing right handed foe. The right hander rarely encounters a left-hander.
In England and Europe, houses or castles built before the gunpowder era usually had a spiral staircase which, when looking up, always spiraled clockwise. This gave the defender the use of a weapon in his right hand and forced the attacker to use his left hand. At the Citadel, I was an usher and we were ordered to always offer our left arm only to ladies when we escorted them; leaves the ‘sword hand’ free to defend the lady.
What else about the left hand? It is dirty. In Islam, the men are taught to do their body cleaning, etc., using the left hand. It would be an insult to touch a Muslim man or woman with one’s left hand. Why then, is the wedding band placed on the left hand? First, in many ancient cultures, the ring was worn on the right hand. The ancient Romans, however, thought there was a venis amoris (‘vein of love) that connected the fourth left finger to the heart. Probably the use of the left hand is simply because jewelry on the right hand would be an impediment in battle.
The sinister lefty is an ancient bias. In pro baseball, many left -handed pitchers are legendary (Sandy Koufax). The home run hitters were mostly lefties (Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Ted Williams) the most notable right handed hitters were steroid-stoked (Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodrigues). Pro football has notable left handed quarterbacks (Steve Young, Michael Vick, Kenny Stabler, Boomer Esiasson and, yes, Tim Tebow). Tennis lefties: Nadol, Laver, Connors, McEnroe, and females Monica Seles and Martina Navrotolova. U.S. presidents: Hoover, Truman, Ford, GHW Bush, Clinton, Obama.
A disproportionate number of Nobel Prize winners are left- handers. Bill Gates? Left handed. Unfortunately, the Boston Strangler and Jack the Ripper were reported also as left handers. So how to reconcile these mixed facts?
Remember that you hug your children with both arms; piano playing without two hands is boring. God gave you both arms. Your left eyeball is the only ‘sinister’ part of your body. Give yourself an applause- note that it takes two hands.
– Dennis Garvin
