New study shows why all MLB baseballs are rubbed with New Jersey mud

To the uninitiated, it may be hard to believe that every single baseball ever used in major-league baseball is rubbed with mud from right here in New Jersey. The history is fascinating, but what’s even more important is that it’s not just tradition that makes the New Jersey mud, called Lena Blackburn baseball rubbing mud, so popular. A new study shows that it’s science.

For decades, every Major League Baseball game has quietly started with this special mud, scooped straight from the Delaware River. Before the first pitch, umpires or clubhouse attendants rub down the glossy, slippery baseballs with it to give them just the right amount of grip. No scratches, no discoloration, just a ball ready to play.

The story of this mud starts with a tragedy. In 1920, Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman was killed by a wild pitch that hit him in the head. That made the league decide they had to make balls safer and easier for pitchers to handle.

SEE MORE: Popular Nickelodeon actor is hosting a concert in Asbury Park

At first, they tried all kinds of fixes — infield dirt, shoe polish, tobacco juice. Nothing worked quite right. The dirt scratched the leather, and the polish and spit made the balls way too dark.

Then, in 1938, Lena Blackburn, a third-base coach for the Philadelphia Athletics, remembered a specific type of fine, smooth mud from his childhood in New Jersey.

He went back to the spot, collected some, and started experimenting. The result? A perfectly balanced mud that gave pitchers a better grip without damaging the ball. It was so effective that by the 1950s, every MLB team was using it.

And now we find out the science behind its effectiveness. According to nbc.com a recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed why this mud is irreplaceable.

There’s a formula in the mix of this mud. It just happens to contain the perfect proportion of sticky clay and sand particles. That makes the clay spread evenly, kind of like toothpaste, while the sand creates a textured surface that gives pitchers better control.

As one researcher put it, “It spreads like face cream, but it grips like sandpaper.” Perfect for baseball.

MLB has tried over the years to find a synthetic replacement, but the study’s authors say it’s a waste of time. Nothing else matches the natural balance of New Jersey’s mud.

This isn’t just dirt — it’s history, science, and a little bit of Jersey magic all rolled into one.

So, the next time you’re at a baseball game, you can be proud that New Jersey has a little piece of every pitch. And it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

Report a correction 👈