Turn on any baseball game on television, or attend a youth, high school, college, or MLB game and you are very likely to see many players wearing eye black. Eye black looks cool, and it is somewhat of a tradition in baseball.
Eye black can be seen on players all over the country, whether youth players are emulating professional baseball players, or if it truly works to a aplayers advantage, you would be hard pressed to attend a game or see one on television where players do not have eye black on.
So, Why do Baseball Players Wear Eye Black?
In its most natural form, eye black can help reduce the glare on the cheek. This very popular tradition actually isn’t just for show, but it does work to reduce glare, allowing players to play at a better level, whether they are looking into the sky for a fly ball, or catching a simple throw across the diamond.
There are several reasons why baseball players wear eye black. We will discuss these reasons below:
1 – Some Wear Eye Black to Look Good
Players may wear eye black to look good. Sometimes, you will see players wearing eye black even on cloudy days. Yes, it may help reduce the glare still, but many players do wear eye black because they feel like they look better.
Younger players emulate major league players and many times this is the reason that youth baseball players choose to wear eye black. For some, it becomes a part of what they do on game day, and they feel most comfortable if they are wearing eye black.
2 – Some Wear Eye Black to Reduce Glare
Although many believe that eye black is used to look good, there are some advantages of using eye black during a baseball game. The idea is to reduce the glare from a players eyes. The majority of the baseball season is played in warm weather, where the sun becomes a factor.
Eye black helps to reduce glare in general, and particularly when looking up for a ball that has been hit into the air. Batters also prefer eye black because it reduces glare and allows pitches to be seen better. Shadows can become an issue for batters, and eye black seems to nullify the effects of shadows.
3 – Some Wear Eye Black as Superstition
Baseball is a superstitious sport, where players like routine and use their routine to feel comfortable and confident. Whether baseball players are truly superstitious or maybe they are just comfortable with routine, eye black is no exception.
Baseball players are superstitious about a lot of things, such as; not touching the foul lines, wearing the same type of clothing, and having the same routine for each at bat. Regardless of why or how each player handles routine and superstition, what makes each player comfortable is important to their success, well at least in their own minds.
What Exactly is Eye Black?
Eye black comes in 2 main forms; a grease or paint-type material and a sticker. The original eye black was in the grease form, as the stickers are fairly new for baseball players. The stickers provide the same look, but obviously are less greasy and can’t run with sweat like the grease eye black.
The original eye black is made out of beeswax, paraffin, and carbon. This material is typically applied under the eyes and can run because of sweat. The original eye back contains these materials in hopes to keep players from experiencing the glare from the sun.
Does Eye Black Actually Work?
Some people believe in it and some do not. Eye black is supposed to keep the glare down, but some baseball players wear it for the looks, or even because they are superstitious. There are factors that do contribute to the effectiveness of eye black, including the color of one’s skin.
There have been several studies done to examine the effectiveness of eye black, one by the University of New Hampshire and one by Yale University. While there have been some differences in the findings from these studies, it is well accepted that the original grease eye black, made from beeswax, paraffin, and carbon is known to be effective in reducing glare caused by the sun.
Most of the studies have also concluded that the sticker form of eye black makes no impact on reducing glare caused by the sun.
Should I have my Son or Daughter Wear Eye Black?
This really is personal preferenace, as it truly depends on the intended purpose of the eye black. If your kids would like to wear eye black to look good, it is recommended to get the sticker forms of eye black, as these are much less messy, and you have no risk of impacting clothing.
If your son or daughter is looking to reduce glare caused by the sun, then we recommend the original eye black, as this seems to be the only effective form of eye black that reduces the glare from the sun.
Are There Rules in Place that Ban Eye Black?
There aren’t usually rules about eye black as far as whether it is allowed to be worn or not, but there are some guidelines on how it can be worn. At the high school and lower levels, the rule is that eye black must be in one strip, and can not be worn as war paint or face decoration. Players are allowed one strip of eye black or stickers.
We recommend that you consult the rules of the league or organization regarding eye black if you are considering wearing it or having your children wear it.
Who was the First Baseball Player to Wear Eye Black?
Babe Ruth is one of the earliest known baseball players to wear eye black. Babe Ruth, being the legend that he was, made eye black popular in the 1930’s in his attempt to reduce the glare from the sun.
Babe Ruth used grease as a way to reduce sun glare and it is believed that eye black in its original makings was made from ashes of burnt cork. In those days, eye black was an attempt to reduce sun glare, not an attempt to look good. Nowadays, many players wear eye black because of tradition, superstition, or to look good on the field.
Will Wearing Eye Black Make me a Better Baseball Player
The simple answer is that eye black will not make you a better player. Eye black can help if it is very sunny out or the lights on a field are overwhelming. There may be a few plays throughout a season that can be impacted by the sun or lights. Eye black can help keep the glare off of a players eyes, but this doesn’t make a player a better athlete.
There are many skills required to be great at baseball, but eye black is not one of them. Although many believe that eye black is good for glare, the skills required for baseball are vast, and putting a strip of black grease, or a black sticker will not help anyone become better at a very skilled game like baseball.
Some of the Best Players Wear Eye Black, Shouldn’t I?
Our opinion is that if the rules state you can wear eye black and it truly makes you feel more comfortable, then wear eye black. Many MLB players wear eye black, many of them for multiple reasons, whether they want to look good, feel good, or they believe in reducing the amount of glare, either way, MLB players do wear eye black.
We believe that wearing eye black almost becomes a habit for some players. Let’s say that a player wears eye black for the first time and hits a homerun or has a great game; most of those players end up wearing eye black for a long time to follow. This seems to be a trend in sports, as many are superstitious, especially baseball players.
Final Thoughts
Babe Ruth started a trend in 1930, wearing eye black to cut down on the glare. Babe Ruth, considered by many as the best baseball player to ever live, started wearing eye black, and the rest is history. Players all over the world wear eye black, and for multiple reasons.
Whether players want to look good, or truly reduce glare, it really doesn’t matter because eye black has become a tradition in baseball as well as other sports that are player outdoors. Eye black looks good, and it makes many players feel comfortable.
Younger players emulate MLB players, and if the MLB players are wearing eye black, the younger players want it.
Eye black is not expensive, it is reasonable and for some, it makes their uniform complete. Whether you want to reduce glare, you wear eye black because it looks good, or you are superstitious, embrace the ye black, and enjoy the comforts of feeling great.