Baseball is called the National Pastime of America. As long as baseball is popular, chewing tobacco is attached to it.
From the 19th century when the baseball game got popular, the use of chewing tobacco also came with it.
But why do baseball players chew tobacco? Is there any specific reason?
Yes, nowadays, though chewing tobacco is forbidden for new players, either Major league baseball, minor leagues, or college baseball, many professional baseball players still do this.
There are logical reasons behind it. Aside from these reasons, chewing tobacco is a part of baseball games in the dugout or baseball field. However, along with valid reasons, tobacco has many alarming consequences too.
In this guide, we will discuss everything about the reasons for chewing tobacco, its consequences, alternatives, and so on. So, let’s get to the point.
Why Do Baseball Players Chew Tobacco?: The Most Common Reasons
You might notice the baseball players constantly spitting if you regularly watch baseball games. But why do baseball players spit?
The only reason is to keep mouths moist. Because the baseball stadiums have dusty fields, so, they need to keep their mouth moist by spitting during the long games.
If they don’t want their mouth to dry out, they need to chew something that will keep it wet. Chewing tobacco helps maintain a moist mouth because it stimulates saliva production.
The dry and dusty fields are too ill-disposed to keep to retain players’ mouths in moist conditions. As a result, spitting or chewing something becomes a part of the game.
Spitting is not only considered to be a tradition among the players, but it also has a functional purpose. Tobacco spit helped soften their gloves, which is another reason to chew tobacco.
The baseball players chew tobacco and use the chewed tobacco to tincture saliva production into their gloves to keep them soft during the game.
Chewing tobacco is also known as “chew”, “dip”, “chaw”, and “baccer.”
Also, chewing tobacco gets more popular when cigarette usage proves more harmful (Not really).
Michael Kelly (Known as King Kelly), the legendary baseball hitter of the 19th century, and former batting champion had a batting average of .308. He was doing exceptionally before he started smoking. But, the tragedy happened when he started smoking.
Consequently, he just made a .189 batting average in the 1892 season as long as he could only make 78 games. Most of the critics said that smoking was liable for this.
Additional Read: Baseball Chants | A Complete Informative Guide
The History of Chewing Tobacco: The Culture of Smokeless Tobacco
In the 19th century, America started to differentiate itself from its motherland England. They started to adopt their own culture. Baseball and chewing tobacco were two such things that were absent in England.
Undoubtedly, these two helped to differentiate the state from England at that time.
On the other hand, Charles Dickens, one of the most popular English writers and social critics in history, popularized tobacco in America. It happened when he visited America in 1842.
He stated the tobacco popularity in Washington in his writing in the following manner.
“The headquarters of tobacco tinctured saliva.” Even judges, defendants, juries, and spectators carried their own spittoons with them in the courtroom.
For understanding the popularity of tobacco in America, another charming example is here.
Also, Charles Dickens saw a sign next to a medical institution. According to the posted notice, students were instructed to spit their cigarettes into the specified garbage container.
By the way, in the beginning, baseball players liked to chew tobacco just for random reasons people do. But, during a certain period, the manufacturer discovered the baseball-centric benefits of smokeless tobacco.
Tobacco products enhance the production salivary in the player’s mouth. As a result, players’ mouths get lubricated in the dusty and dirty infield environment.
On the other hand, when the fielding gloves got popular in the 1870s and 1880s, baseball players used their spitting to moisten their leather gloves.
Even the pitchers started to keep spitballs with them formed from chewing tobacco which was vastly permitted till 1920.
By the way, chewing smokeless tobacco is not by any means less harmful than cigarettes. You will see some sincere steps to curtail the use of chewing tobacco.
Minor leagues banned tobacco use in the ballparks in 1993. They also applied fines ranging from $100 to $100 if someone found chewing tobacco in the ballparks.
Bu the way, tobacco is not yet banned from major league baseball. If such a thing seems to happen, it will require of collective bargaining agreement between players and owners of the teams.
Though a young player cannot chew tobacco, major league players can still do so.
The Consequences of Use of Chewing Tobacco
You might remember that I have mentioned before that the popularity of tobacco use has increased due to the harm of smoking. Actually, it was a hoax. The harness of smokeless tobacco is no less any means than smoking cigarettes. Even it is more dangerous and hazardous to health than smoking.
In the baseball season, major league baseball players chew tobacco in a significant portion and almost constantly. But, chewing tobacco can cause 28 cancers in our body.
But most players either don’t know it or avoid it to conserve the tradition.
However, here are some of the alarming consequences of using tobacco that could help many ballplayers to quit it.
Oral Cancer
Tobacco use causes oral cancer. Though the big leaguers and tobacco were the synonym in baseball, they started to decrease after 2016. More health hazardous reports started to be published, and people began understanding the consequences.
The horror of tobacco was unveiled when the world saw the death of Bill Tuttle. Even Babe Ruth, the absolute legend of baseball history, also died from cancer developed from smokeless tobacco use.
Salivary Gland Cancer
Chewing tobacco also causes salivary gland cancer. A salivary gland cancer career is Tony Gwynn, developed a few years ago.
Tony was bonhomie, and a smile always was on his face. But, cancer and its treatment snatched those from him. However, he died in 2014 at 54 due to cancer.
Heart Disease
Tobacco causes heart disease. It also causes lung cancer as well. Breathing problem is another affective problem due to tobacco.
More Harmful Than Smoking
The term “smokeless tobacco” is a hoax by all means. It is a business stance of tobacco manufacturers. At the end of the day, all are for money. Because from the very beginning, tobacco is just harmful as smoking.
But, people were looking for something less harmful. As a result, the tobacco syndicate brought a new term “smokeless tobacco” which seems to be less harmful than smoking.
But, behind the scene, it was not true. The true fact is, that the syndicate needed to keep its business. As a result;t, they brought an alternative to smoking, the “smokeless tobacco.”
Note: The above-mentioned analysis is in my personal opinion. There is no strong reference though.
However, you will be shocked that tobacco can develop 28 types of cancer cells. The harness of tobacco could be realized from the following example.
“If you put dip onto your mouth for 30 minutes(the dip is chewed for a long time), it will release 3 times more nicotine than smoking a cigarette.
Harvard School of Public health had done research in the 2004 World Series on the baseball players who chew tobacco. They found an average of 9 minutes and 11 seconds timespan that players usually keep the dip in their mouth and chew it.
Can you imagine how much alarming this could be?
Banning of Tobacco
This may be a part of the happiness that tobacco is banned in many leagues. As an American culture, it is not yet entirely banned in major league baseball. As a result, it is yet a common practice in MLB by many old players.
However, the use of tobacco was prohibited in the minor league. In 2015, the previous commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig, said that tobacco use should also be prohibited inside the league since it is publicly practiced and has an impact.
Even while there is no outright prohibition, Major League Baseball has certain regulations in place. The players on the baseball teams are not permitted to have access to smokeless tobacco from their teams.
In addition, the players are restricted from fitting them into the pockets of their uniforms. In addition, tobacco is not permitted throughout the interview process.
Also, the players who entered MLB after the 2016 season are banned from using tobacco in games or team functions.
By the way, the restriction cannot entirely reduce the use of tobacco. But, if there is a safe alternative. This could bring some good output.
Alternatives of Tobacco
Okay, if you already understood the horrific consequences of using tobacco, you must quit it today. But, no worries, I would not say to quit everything and just do nothing.
It is hard to quit a regular habit and culture instantly. To recover the mental state for quitting tobacco, you have some easy alternatives that also have easy access to them.
Chewing Gum
The old-fashioned chewing gum is one of the most popular chewing objects that is used in many games. The baseball game is not out on the list that has the popularity of gum.
Baseball players can easily carry big league chew in their pockets. Also, any other types of chewing gum could be carried and used by baseball players as well.
Chewing gum for a long time easily can keep the players’ mouths moist and help them to spit.
Undoubtedly, chewing gum or bubble gum is a safer option and alternative to tobacco.
By the way, great quality bubble gum could be chewed for a long time due to good material in production. Since normal quality gums come with limited flavor and sticks, quality gum provides multiple flavors and experiences.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are one of the most demanded diets for baseball players. Sunflower seeds boost the human immune system, keep the heart healthy, and prevent sickness. Sunflower seeds also decrease inflammation and double the energy level.
The best sunflower seeds work as your source of required nutrition and stress relief. And in the end, using sunflower seeds is easy.
Ultimately, sunflower seeds are highly recommended as one of the safest nutrition sources.
Sunflower seeds have numerous benefits. This needs an entire comprehensive post to describe. You may check out our guide on “Why Do Baseball Players Eat Sunflower Seeds.”
Grinds
What about coffee grind with the vibe of tobacco? As you are quitting tobacco gradually, the tobacco vibe would be such a relieving aspect to get.
By the way, grinds are flavored coffee grinds that come in tobacco-can.
Using grind under the lip is not dangerous, but rather safe for baseball players. So, baseball players can put the grind and put it on their lips during the play. This will keep the player’s mouth moist, by the way.
You will get different flavored grinds in one pack from online or physical shops.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is dip illegal in MLB?
Though tobacco is entirely banned yet, it has particular restrictions in MLB. But the most significant fact is that it is getting banned gradually.
Among 30 stadiums in America that are currently in use, 16 are entirely free from tobacco.
2. Can you still chew tobacco in MLB?
Even in Major League Baseball, the use of tobacco is being phased out gradually. In the United States, there are a total of 30 ballparks, and 16 of them have forbidden all forms of tobacco use.
In addition, players who entered Major League Baseball after the 2016 season are subject to the same restrictions regarding the use of smokeless tobacco during games and team events.
3. Is dip worse than smoking?
Certainly, smokeless tobacco is worse than smoking. It is harmful and addictive too.
Wrapping Up
I hope you got the answer to the question, “why do baseball players chew tobacco?” It is something cultural along with some other reasons.
But, instead of getting advantages, tobacco is rather too much harmful to use. In the end, tobacco is lethal to health and even brings death to life.
By the way, there are also several safe alternatives to tobacco. So, if you really need to moisten your mouth or keep your mouth busy, you should go with them.
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Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.