Why Does Baseball Players Chew Gum | Is It A Healthier Alternative To Chewing Tobacco

When you watch a Major League Baseball game in person or on TV, you will see players chewing gum. Indeed, from cartoons and films to memes and meme boards, the image of a baseball player chewing gum has gone viral and become a well-known cultural phenomenon.

That being said, why do baseball players chew so much gum?

Baseball players chew gum for many different reasons. This includes alleviating stress and helping them focus, to keep their mouths from getting dry because baseball is dusty and dirty and as an alternative to chewing tobacco.

It has been estimated that around 30-35% of baseball players use chewing tobacco or tobacco-related product. Instead of damaging your oral health with tobacco, you might want to try chewing on some gum instead. 

Additionally, many athletes use the gum for superstitious reasons or as part of their daily routine.

While these are the most often cited explanations, there may be additional, more personal reasons why baseball players chew gum. If you want to know why it is OK to chew gum during baseball games, read on!

When Did Baseball Players Start Chewing Gum During Games?

Wrigley was the first to associate baseball with chewing gum, although the company did not start advertising in dugouts until the 1980s.

It is no secret that baseball and tobacco have a long and storied history together. Even the 1962 coming-of-age film The Sandlot has a notable moment that incorporates “Big Chief” chewing tobacco, a spinning carnival ride, and some bad luck for the mismatched bunch of baseball players.

At the start of the twentieth century, tobacco was not only ubiquitous in American society but also useful on the diamond. It stimulated the production of saliva that served as a natural dust filter.

Figure 1 – Baseball Player Chewing Gum

An Oregon independent baseball club, a poor left-handed pitcher, and a hungry batboy are all responsible for the introduction of gum as a tobacco substitute.

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Pitchfork Rob Nelson of the 1977 Portland Mavericks observed young batboy Todd Field had a bag full of sliced licorice. Field swiftly reassured him that the chewing snack was really licorice disguised as tobacco when he asked about it.

In any case, Nelson, who also abstains from smoking, found the concept appealing. Nelson devised “Big League Chew” with the financial assistance of former big leaguer Jim Bouton using Field’s boyhood kitchen as their lab.

Big League Chew

By 1980, Wrigley had taken a bet on Nelson by marketing Big League Chew around the stadium. It arrived at the ideal moment since the Tribune Company was planning to buy the Cubs for the season that would follow.

Forty years later, Nelson’s invention is still very much a part of our national pastime—the sport of spitting, chewing gum, and ruminating about things.

Big League Chew has been a huge success, with over 800,000,000 pouches sold. The business generates between $16 and $17 million in sales annually.

Why Does Baseball Allow Players Chewing Gum During Play?

Although there is no simple solution to the question, but I believe culture and environmental factors are probably the main factors.

Alex Rodriguez, who used to play baseball for the New York Yankees, likes to chew gum a lot during games. For an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he revealed that, during every game he played, he chewed 36 pieces of gum.

Figure 2-  Alex Rodriguez Chewed 36 pieces of gum in a game

Sometimes you can see a basketball player smacking the ball. Even during warmups, Michael Jordan was often seen chewing gum. Recent years, however, have seen an increase consuming chewing gum by superstars like LeBron James as well as Steph Curry.

Meanwhile, Cam Newton has been seen chewing gum occasionally, but the physical aspect of football does not lend itself well to the practice.

For almost a hundred years, baseball dominated American popular culture and entertainment. Even though other sports have become more popular over the years, some traditions will never die. Chewing gum might be one of them.

10 Reasons Why Baseball Players Chew Gum

Baseball players chew bubble gum for many various reasons other just as a habit. Baseball bubble gum aids with attention, avoiding dry mouth, stress relief, and more.

Ever notice how many times may be seen baseball players chewing gum during a TV broadcast of a practice or game?

Some may frown and call this practice “impolite,” but those who utilize it are reaping the advantages of “gum” and increasing their productivity.

Stress relief

It is not easy being a Major League Baseball player due to the obvious pressure of having tens of thousands of spectators watching you and anticipating you to play well. This may cause some players, particularly rookies, to feel anxious or under pressure.

It has been shown time and time again that chewing gum is helpful for relieving stress. One of these research carried out by Professor Andrew Scholey of the Department of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 

His research demonstrates that chewing gum reduces stress by 16% under moderate stress.

Chewing Gum Helps You Focus on the Game

There are times in competitive sports when you need to make a quick decision. Here, dexterity on the feet is not enough; quickness of thought is also a must. Chewing gum at this time will enhance blood circulation, focus, and decision-making.

Chewing may increase brain activity by stimulating nerves in the mouth and jaw. A higher percentage of the body’s oxygen-rich blood is “enhanced” when the jaw muscles are constantly engaged. The oxygen-rich blood subsequently transports to the brain and nerve system.

In 2015, researchers at BioMed Research International found that gum chewing “enhances attention, as well as promotes well-being and job performance.”  Anxiety and drowsiness are two things every professional baseball player could use less of, and the research suggests that chewing gum can help with both.

Whether facing a fastball in the 90s or consistently squaring up off-speed offerings, doing so requires extraordinary focus.  From that point on, many players will see an increase in alertness, attention, and reaction time.

Not only that, but chewing baseball gumballs furthermore helps your heart rate and blood pressure. Chewing gum improves the player’s judgment and decision-making in competitive situations.

Figure 3- Chewing Gum Improves the Player’s Judgment and Decision-Making

Coaches can enhance their reaction time by chewing gums between innings. Chewing gum may improve mental clarity and reduce errors made by athletes and coaches under pressure.

Helps Maintain Hydration and Reduces Dirty Breath

Coaches and players had to shout to tell each other what to do. When you consider that athletes are expected to perform on the field without stopping to rehydrate, you can see how challenging this task is.

Since the body loses water rapidly after prolonged exertion, players may experience dry mouth, chapped lips, and weariness. Furthermore, sliding into bases may add dirt to a player’s mouth. Therefore, chewing gum helps to alleviate that dirty sensation.

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Chewing sugar-free gum can relieve this sensation. Regular gum chewing has been shown to increase saliva production and prevents dry mouth. You can use it to eliminate leftover food between your teeth and gums.

When you chew bubble gum, saliva is produced, and dirt is spat out. Extra grime in your mouth may be swept away by munching on a new piece of gum.

Gum may help protect teeth from decay, as well as brushing and flossing. Xylitol-containing chewing gums include popular brands, including One, Icebreakers, Stride, Trident, and Orbit.

Habit

Certain baseball players are noted for always sticking to the same routines, including always chewing gum as they play. Some people have made it a ritual to pop a piece of gum before heading out to the ballgame. Many ballplayers believe it to be superstitious, even though they have a heightened sense of fortuity while chewing gum.

One of the primary motivations to chew bubble gum is likely to be just habitual. Chewing gum is advantageous in many ways.

You can protect your teeth from decay, brighten your smile, and lessen the effects of bad breath by regularly chewing gum. I sometimes chew gum for these purposes, and moreover, I enjoy it.

Besides providing a fun distraction, you can make bubbles with your chewing gum. Some people become bored without gum while waiting for the hitter to bat on a baseball field.

Figure 4- Chewing Gum Is Likely Habitual

Chewing Tobacco Is Awful

Baseball often called the nation’s religion, has a unique position in American history and psyche. However, there is a darker side to this tradition: the cancer-causing habit of chewing tobacco, which has taken the lives of many of its most illustrious participants.

Tobacco insertion into the lips and cheeks is among baseball’s oldest customs. Thus the terms “dip,” “chew,” “chaw,” and “baccer.”

Figure 5- Tobacco Insertion Into the Lips and Cheeks Is Called Dip

Almost all American baseball movies show players engaging in this practice. For example, Tom Hanks spits out a mouthful in A League of Their Own, while the youngsters in The Sandlot Kids encourage one other to dip since “all the pros do it.”

Players used tobacco spit to soften their gloves and keep their lips wet during long games. Why do baseball players chew tobacco? Know the consequences and alternatives here.

The risks of tobacco use were not acknowledged in the past, thus the habit was passed on from generation to generation. Yet, two of baseball’s greatest players, Babe Ruth and Bill Tuttle, both died from cancers associated with chewing tobacco.

Smokeless tobacco, which includes both chewing tobacco and finer-ground dipping tobacco, is clearly harmful to one’s health.

It has more of the highly addictive substance nicotine than cigarettes and includes 28 carcinogens.

If you keep a typical-sized dip in your mouth for 30 minutes, you will get the same amount of nicotine as if you smoked three cigarettes.

In recent years, there has been rising worry among baseball officials about the message the sport sends to minor league baseball players and spectators.

For nearly two decades, the dip has been off-limits in minor league baseball, where rising stars hone their skills. Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, believes the practice should also be outlawed at the highest level.

Today, more than half of Major League Baseball venues are tobacco-free. The current CBA bans chewing tobacco, dip, and snuff.

It is forbidden for players. Stale breath is a sure sign that you have been chewing tobacco.

Chewing gum does not come with a side of mouth and lung cancer, but smokeless tobacco does.

Many athletes nowadays have switched from cigarettes to gum. It is not a good idea to drink during a baseball game. Tobacco use in any form, including smoking and chewing, is harmful. Players looking for a new guilty pleasure during a pitcher’s duel would do well to try gum as a risk-free alternative.

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Superstition

When it comes to superstitions, baseball ranks up there with some of the most religious fans. Baseball is full of superstitions, one of which is chewing bubble gum to stave off bad luck.

Some baseball players, for instance, refuse to put down their bubble gum even after scoring a run. You can not risk losing by discarding your gum since it was a source of good fortune.

There are several such instances, and who are we to judge the success or failure of these? However, thinking that you’re lucky will make you luckier!

To Feel The Game Is Passing More Quickly

Baseball may be a slow-moving game for many players, particularly fielders. It takes a lot of time and patience.

Since baseball games are not timed, they may drag on for hours, often wrapping up around the ninth inning. A game might have several home runs and go for a long time without any activity from a player.

Consequently, if a baseball game goes on for too many hours, even the most committed fans can start to lose interest.

However, not only the spectators could become tired of waiting around for the game to end. Even the players may get impatient while waiting to take action in the game.

Chewing gum may not seem like much, but it may provide a player a distraction just as it would for anybody else. Instead of sitting around doing nothing, you may at least be productive by chewing gum while you wait.

Remember How Many Outs

Some baseball players have trouble keeping track of the outs they have already made in a given inning. Some baseball players chew gum to keep track of outs on the field.

What is going on here?

In baseball, the batter will spit out his gum and chew on a new piece after each out. If a player has a bad recall, this will assist them in keeping track of the outs in an inning.

They need just deduct the number of remaining gumballs from the total. At that point, they will know exactly how many outs they have completed and how many remain.

Chewing Gum Is Fun

Chewing gum is fun, therefore it is no surprise that baseball players do it. Like the rest of us, athletes may chew gum for no particular reason other than habit.

There is a good chance that gum chewing will become an integral element of every baseball game. Therefore, baseball fans can count on seeing players at every game carrying packs of gum in their pockets.

Gum is mostly useful as something to do with your mouth and face while you wait for anything. A lot of baseball is spent waiting.  

You may chew the gum and daydream about baseball even if you can not do anything else related to the sport. You may try throwing some pitches with your right side of the mouth open. Attempt to time the sound of the bat hitting the ball with the popping of bubbles.

If you slurp it around long enough, you can even strengthen your jaw muscles. To be honest, you may as well be doing anything than doing nothing at all. Although baseball might be sluggish at times, it does not permit utter disinterest. Playing third base does not provide much time for listening to audiobooks or podcasts.

What Kind of Gum Do Baseball Players Chew?

Professional baseball players may be seen using many different types of gum in the clubhouse and dugout, but there is no authorized MLB gum.

Right-handed pitcher Rob Nelson designed Big League Chew (BLC), the so called official bubble gum of Major League Baseball. He used to throw left-handed and chews gum regularly.

Nelson came up with the original concept for Big League Chew because he wanted a substitute for cigarettes.

Figure 6- Rob Nelson Is the Inventor of Big League Chew

Back in 1977, when the Portland Mavericks were just getting started, the brand was established in the bullpen. The following years saw the rise in popularity of the now-iconic pouches filled with shredded, delicious bubble gum.

It quickly rose to prominence as everyone’s go-to piece of gum. It is estimated that 800 million packs have been “sold” so far.

The following are some unofficial bubble gum brands that major leaguers like to chew:

• Dubble Bubble Original Bubble Gum
• Bubblicious
• Hubba Bubba
• Quench Gum
• Bubble Yum

Best Bubble Gums For Baseball

Gum chewing and seed spitting have both become culturally significant parts of the baseball experience. These two things go hand in hand and cannot be separated.

Following many hours of study and chewing, I have compiled a list of the best bubble gums available in dugouts around the country. Note that they are not in any particular sequence.

Figure 7- Bubble Gum Brands Used By Baseball Players

Bubblicious

Bubblicious has more than 30 years of expertise in the bubble gum market as first soft bubble gum of its period. Bubblicious Bubblegum is the champ when it comes to producing huge bubbles. 

There are no alternatives that even come close to competing in this space. Bubblicious was an easy choice for our top picks because to its enormous bubbles and explosive, salivating flavor. 

Bubblicious gum combines traditional gum taste with amazing bubbles. It has fans all around the world from kids to adults.

Hubba Bubba

Hubba Bubba is a company most known for its bubble tape, although they have other business. “Hubba Hubba” was a word used by World War II troops to show appreciation. Hubba Bubba bubble gum is less sticky than regular gums, so you will not get bubbles all over your face.

Quench Gum

If you are having dry mouth during play, Quench Gum is your best choice. Quench Gum was invented by a pharmacist-turned-chemist who played NCAA basketball and needed something to keep his mouth wet. It quenches thirst and eliminates the need for runners and other sports to constantly carry a water bottle.

Bubble Yum

Having a piece of this tasty gum in your mouth will take you back to your childhood. Bubble Yum is smooth and soft, but you need to chew it until it gets tough before you can blow bubbles with it. Once the wonderful taste has worn off, you may start chewing this gum.

Dubble Bubble

There is a good reason why every Major League dugout has a container of Dubble Bubble. Even though the taste does not last long, the first burst of America’s Original bubble gum is unparalleled. 

Dubble Bubble’s nostalgic vibe will take you right back to your days of sandlot baseball. However, caution is advised for the chewer; after roughly ten pieces, jaw fatigue is inevitable.

Big League Chew

This bubble gum was the only one I could find with a baseball motif, so it had to be included. It was previously said that Big League Chew revolutionized baseball by greatly reducing the prevalence of chewing tobacco use among players. 

Pink bubble gum in a pouch, sometimes referred to as “ball player’s bubble gum,” is created in the USA. It has a pleasant, long-lasting taste, and may prevent dry mouth during games. 

Alternatives to Chewing Gum in Baseball

As we have seen, many people switched to gum as a less harmful substitute for cigarettes. There are more options than bubblegum for gamers to choose from. Additional choices are as follows:

Sunflower Seeds

There is a long history between the sport and sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are a popular game-day snack for baseball players, managers, coaches and spectators at all levels of the sport.

Sunflower seeds are a good alternative for athletes for many of the same reasons they chew bubble gum. Sunflower seeds are used at all levels of baseball, from Little League to the major leagues, to represent the sport’s innocent and playful roots.

Sunflower seeds are a low-cost snack option for both athletes and spectators. There is a wide range of sizes and tastes available. The little plastic containers make them convenient to fold up and carry in a player’s back pocket.

Figure 8- Sunflower Seeds Are a Good Alternative of Chewing Gum

Pistachios

Pistachios are not as widely available in baseball and come at a higher price. Despite having bigger and harder-to-crack shells than sunflower seeds, some athletes and spectators like chewing them.

If spat on the infield soil, the shells from chewed pistachios aren’t as small as sunflower seed shells, but they still provide a little problem to the grounds staff.

The association between the sport and pistachios is not as long-standing as that of bubblegum and sunflower seeds.

Beef Jerky

Another option is shredded beef jerky. Beef jerky sliced and packed in a can identical to chewing tobacco cans has been called a substitute to chewing tobacco.

Shredded beef jerky is seen as more of a childish tobacco imitation and isn’t something you see elite players utilizing.

Why Do Baseball Players Spit So Much?

Baseball players often chew on gum, sunflower seeds, or tobacco, which may all leave your mouth feeling drenched in saliva. Frequently, players would repeatedly spit to alleviate their moist mouths or, just out of habit.

If a player uses any kind of tobacco product, genuine or fake, his or her salivary glands will be stimulated, and he or she will have to spit.

When players chew gum or consume seeds, they may end up with a mouthful of spit and an annoying habit of spitting. Sadly, spitting is a common practice among baseball players.

Do you need more information on Why Do Baseball Players Spit? All the secrets are unveiled here.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why Do People Chew Gum When Playing Baseball?

Chewing gum helps athletes feel less grubby since sliding into bases may make their mouths even dirtier. As you chew, saliva is produced, and any dirt or debris in your mouth may be easily spat out. If there is any further debris or dirt in your mouth, you may pick it up by chewing on a piece of gum.

2. What Do Baseball Players Keep Chewing?

Tobacco, sunflower seeds, and gum are common items used by baseball players to increase saliva production and keep their mouths wet during games. Players may frequently spit repeatedly, either in an attempt to alleviate their moist mouths or just out of habit. Spitting is a common practice among players.

3. What Type of Gum Do Baseball Players Chew?

Big league chew is pink chewing gum pieces in a bag created in the USA, give a long-lasting taste, and help prevent your mouth from becoming dry throughout the game. More than 800 million packets of Big League Chew have been marketed as the official baseball-themed bubble gum of Ripken Baseball.

4. Why Do So Many Athletes Chew Gum?

Chewing gum during sports is said to promote brain activity since chewing helps a variety of body processes. Chewing stimulates brain activity by transmitting information from sensory organs to nerves.

5. Is Tobacco Banned in the MLB?

Tobacco firms are no longer permitted to offer complimentary items in stadium clubhouses for MLB players. The restriction took effect on December 5, 2016, as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that bans Major League players from consuming tobacco.

6. Why Do Baseball Pitchers Lick Their Fingers?

When preparing to hold the ball, pitchers are allowed to lick their fingers and then dry them on their uniform. They are not permitted to have any part of their uniform touching the rubber.

Final Words

Finally, why does baseball players chew gum?

They do it for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it serves as an alternative to tobacco.

For some players, this is an act of superstition intended to bring them luck. Most of the time, baseball players chew gum to help them pay more attention, focus better, and get rid of tension and stress.

Better performance on the field is the result of enhanced focus and relaxation before and during the game. Baseball players chew gum not just to avoid a dry mouth but also to remove any dirt or debris that may have accumulated in their mouths.

A lot of players also chew gum for fun and enjoyment, out of habit, or just to have something to do.

Baseball games may go on for hours, and there may be extended stretches when a player is not involved in any play at all. Gum might help a little with being bored and give you something to do.