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Do game used baseballs always have mud and stuff on them? I ready that teams will prep the balls by rubbing mud. Is this true for all game used baseballs? I am being offered a game used ball that was for an actual hit and it doesn't show much dirt if any from what I can see. It's not the best pic, but it is MLB authenticated....Any help?
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Re: game used ball?
BB -
Yes, ever ball that is put into play has been 'rubbed' with Lena Blackburn's rubbing mud.
I use to work for Rawlings doing demonstrations on how balls are stitched, their history, etc.
A few bits of info you and other may find interesting:
Before each Major League game, the batboys and clubbies rub up 10-12 Dozen balls and do more during the course of the game as becomes necessary. (This use to be done by the Umpires in the days before Unions)
The Avg life span of an MLB ball in play is 7 pitches.
They are removed from play for a variety of reasons:- Home Run
- Foul Ball into seats
- pitch in dirt
- foul off the railing
- any other type of situation that either scuffs or otherwise significantly changes the ball
MLB uses 800,000 balls per season.
Lena Blackburn's rubbing mud is the ONLY rubbing mud approved by Major League baseball.
It is named after Lena 'Slats' Blackburne who was player for the White Sox whose family discovered the mud at an undisclosed location on a tributary of the Delaware River.
The mud itself contains very fine bits of mica and other minerals which helps the pitchers get a good grip on the ball. It basically takes the sheen off of the finished leather cover.
It came into use in the late 20's - early 30's when MLB was working to outlaw spitballs, cutballs and other methods pitchers used to get a grip on the ball.
One tub will last a team almost an entire season.
That said, I have GU balls from various periods and depending on whether it is a Horsehide Ball (pre 1973/74) or a Cowhide Ball (post 1973/74) can change the appearance of how it looks after being 'rubbed'.
Also, the leather on each ball can affect the shading from the rubbing etcetera. There are tolerances (very tight ones) in play that do allow for very slight variations in size, weight and even the quality of the leather which can also affect the look after rubbing.
I hope this helps.
Smitty -
Re: game used ball?
Does this look game used? It doesn't to me...Comment
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Re: game used ball?
Some teams, particularly the Reds, have been accused by visiting teams (OK, the Cardinals) of not preparing the balls sufficiently. Not enough mud = slippery baseballs = pitchers who can't grip them well enough to throw them. So, it's always possible that ball just wasn't rubbed with enough mud, and after a pitch or two, it was hit and then tossed out.Jeff Scott
birdbats@charter.net
http://www.birdbats.com
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Re: game used ball?
It looks good to me and the rest of the baseball might show some more use. The Tigers have some good authenticators, I'd trust the authentication. It's a cool ball.Comment
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Re: game used ball?
Anything in a game that isn't rubbed down is an aberration, but it can very rarely happen.
Chicago Ballhawk Rich Buhrke, whose total of game home runs caught over his career exceeeds 180, did once how me a Jay Johnsyone home run he caught on the street outside Wrigley Field in the early 1980s. It didn't have a speck of game rub on it. That, though, was the only one.
Dave MiedemaComment
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Re: game used ball?
I wonder if theres ever been a pitcher that didn't want the balls rubbed down?Comment
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Re: game used ball?
Looks fine. Go look at a brand new ball. Game used ones aren't snow white. That doesn't look like a brand new ball.Comment
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Re: game used ball?
Haha, c'mon now Jeff. You know your boy Tony is the ONLY person to ever complain about that with us. The Reds used the same baseballs that game, and didn't have any issues.
That said, it really does depend on the person doing the rub-up. Not every ball will look the same, but I agree that this one certainly looks rubbed. It's possible that it was a 1 or 2 pitch use, and got pulled.
-JComment
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Re: game used ball?
Brian -
The ball looks good. Slight 'tan' overall tone to it.
Also, per my previous post, here are the tolerances on Game Balls per the Official Rules of Major League Baseball (2004 edition - but these parts haven't changed):
1.09 - The ball shall be a sphere formed of yarn wound around a small core of cork, rubber or similar material (Dead Ball era balls had no 'center'), covered with two stripes of white horsehide or cowhide, tightly stitched together. It shall weigh not less than 5 and not more than 5.25 ounces avoir-dupois (body weight) and measure not less than 9 nor more than 9.25 inches in circumference.
Freddie -
The pitcher has no call on the rub.
Per the Official Rules of Major League Baseball:
3.01 - Before the game the umpires shall:
(a) ...
(b) ...
(c) Receive from the home club a supply of Regulation baseballs, the number and make to be certified to the home club by the league president. Each ball shall be enclosed in a sealed package bearing the signature of the league president, and the seal shall not be broken until just prior to game time when the umpire shall open each package to inspect the ball and remove its gloss. The umpire shall be the sole judge of the fitness of the balls to be used in the game;
(d) Be assured by the home club that at least one dozen regulation reserve balls are immediately available for use if required;
(e) Have in his possession at least two alternate balls and shall require replenishment of such supply of alternate balls as needed throughout the game. Such alternate balls shall be put in play when -- A ball has been batted out of the playing field or into the spectatot area;
- A ball has become discolored or unfit for further use;
- The pitcher requests such alternate ball.
The umpire shall not give an alternate ball to the pitcher until play has ended and the previously used ball is dead. After a thrown or batted ball goes out of the playing field, play shall not be resumed with an alternate ball until all runners have reached the bases to which they are entitled. After a Home Run is hit, the umpire shall not deliver a new ball to the pitcher or catcher until the batter hitting the home run has crossed the plate.
3.02 - No player shall intentionally discolor or damage the ball by rubbing it with soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sand-paper, emery-paper or other foreign substance.
PENALTY: The umpire shall demand the ball and remove the offender from the game. In case the offender cannot be located, and if the pitcher delivers such ball to the batter, the pitcher shall be removed immediately and automatically suspended for 10 days.
Hope this was informative to some...
SmittyComment
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Re: game used ball?
I've found that g-u balls vary a lot on how dirty they look, even from the same game. But if you compare them with a brand-new ball (eg a souvenir ball from a store) the g-u ones always look darker and less shiney.
A little-known fact is that minor-league and college balls are also rubbed down. NCAA balls require something like "river silt" but not the magic mud from the Delaware.Comment
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Re: game used ball?
from experience rubbing down the balls pre-game sucked like something terrible we would always have our pitchers come in and check the balls as we rubbed them and everyone they disliked they would take out and throw across the room but on the same hand they would sit in the laundry room and help us rub them also. I guess they figured they would be the ones throwing them during the homestand so they might as well have them rubbed to there liking. Also as for the minor leagues i know we saved any balls that weren't used, for the next days game and then just added to them so the balls at the bottom of the box that were rubbed might not have gotten used till the end of the season and there were in rough shape....We were lazy and enjoyed goofing off more than actually working though.Comment
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Re: game used ball?
and we used blackburns mud as well and a tub would usually last all season.... unless we used it for other things ....... it looks like poop just saying....Comment
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