Why Do They Rub Baseballs With Mud Before Every Game?

New baseballs from the manufacturer have a slick surface, making it difficult for pitchers to grip the ball and throw it with control. A special mud is used to remove the slipperiness of the ball and to help prevent wild pitches.

  1. History

    • On Aug. 16, 1920, the first and only death attributed to a stray pitch occurred when shortstop Ray Chapman was struck in the head. From that point on, umpires determined to make baseballs safer by roughing their surface, providing for a better grip.

    Other Attempts

    • Many different attempts were made to improve the grip of baseball. These included shoe polish, infield dirt and tobacco juice, none of which worked because they all damaged or discolored the ball.

    Solution

    • In 1938, a third base coach for the Philadelphia Athletics named Lena Blackburne introduced a thin mud obtained from tidal swamps in New Jersey as a solution. The mud had a fine texture that allowed the ball to be roughened without damaging it.

    Adoption

    • Eventually both the American and National leagues adopted Blackburne's mud, using it before each game. The Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud business continues, handed down from generation to generation, to this day.

    Use

    • To make a baseball ready for play, the equipment manager for a team coats about five dozen new baseballs with mud prior to each game. The mud is left to sit on the balls for a few minutes, then worked into the surface of the ball and wiped away.