High school baseball - why the war paint?
June 24, 2011 8:27 AM Subscribe
Why do horizontal black lines appear on players' cheeks, just before the Big Game? This seems limited to younger American men (maybe just the white boys?); never seen it on the pros. Example photo -- they remind me of Groucho's moustache.
Is it possibly a regional tradition?
Is it possibly a regional tradition?
Its for glare from the lights. Its not regional.
google "eyeblack"
posted by JPD at 8:29 AM on June 24, 2011
google "eyeblack"
posted by JPD at 8:29 AM on June 24, 2011
It's called Eye black, and I do see it in professional sports (usually American football).
posted by muddgirl at 8:30 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by muddgirl at 8:30 AM on June 24, 2011
Yeah, I see it all the time in pro sports (including on non-white players), though they seem to have some sort of sticker version now rather that paint.
posted by olinerd at 8:32 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by olinerd at 8:32 AM on June 24, 2011
Response by poster: I've heard glare given as an explanation, but it doesn't seem possible to me.
posted by Rash at 8:35 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by Rash at 8:35 AM on June 24, 2011
Per the wikipedia article that muddgirl linked, there actually is a peer-reviewed clinical study that demonstrates that eyeblack grease really is effective in glare reduction, though the sticker version is not.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 8:35 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by strangely stunted trees at 8:35 AM on June 24, 2011
This was featured on Mythbusters too, although IIRC they found that it didn't reduce glare (or at least not by a significant amount). Not sure how their testing compares with the clinical study linked above though.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:38 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:38 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
I've heard glare given as an explanation, but it doesn't seem possible to me.
This article from Clinical Sciences suggests that you're wrong.
posted by 256 at 8:39 AM on June 24, 2011
This article from Clinical Sciences suggests that you're wrong.
posted by 256 at 8:39 AM on June 24, 2011
Best answer: It started as protection from glare, but it's turned into a fashion thing. Also: see sweatbands in the NBA.
posted by mullacc at 8:39 AM on June 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by mullacc at 8:39 AM on June 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
American tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands wore eye-black at Wimbeldon this week.
posted by Jahaza at 8:41 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by Jahaza at 8:41 AM on June 24, 2011
Rash: "I've heard glare given as an explanation, but it doesn't seem possible to me."
Why? In a game that involves tracking a small object as it moves through the air over a great distance, glare has a major impact.
posted by mkultra at 8:48 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
Why? In a game that involves tracking a small object as it moves through the air over a great distance, glare has a major impact.
posted by mkultra at 8:48 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
At least in football, it also has some degree of intimidation factor. I can imagine efficacy varies between individuals depending on the contour of their cheek, positioning of their eye, etc. You also can't discount the value of preparatory ritual in sports.
posted by meinvt at 8:54 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by meinvt at 8:54 AM on June 24, 2011
Response by poster: Sure, glare is important -- but I can't see how conditions on skin an inch or two from the eye can have any affect on the light hitting the eye.
posted by Rash at 8:55 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by Rash at 8:55 AM on June 24, 2011
Then perhaps you are not a pale person with prominent cheekbones. I totally get glare off my cheeks. I'll be squinting behind my sunglasses from the reflected face-glare ... same way you get glare off snow.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:59 AM on June 24, 2011 [13 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:59 AM on June 24, 2011 [13 favorites]
It cuts down on light reflecting up off the cheekbones into the eye from below.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:59 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 8:59 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
The cheeks are in front of the eyes, and the eyes are round lenses. Light absolutely does bounce off of that place and into your eyes. Probably by blacking out the entire area around the eye would be even better.
It is almost the same principle as lens hoods on cameras, which absolutely make a big difference for contrast, as they reduce the amount of indirect light "bouncing around" in the lens.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 9:02 AM on June 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
It is almost the same principle as lens hoods on cameras, which absolutely make a big difference for contrast, as they reduce the amount of indirect light "bouncing around" in the lens.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 9:02 AM on June 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
Check out the top photo in the linked wikipedia - that ray of sunlight that is not in the field of view but nonetheless gets into the lens is the problem, and is the same thing that the eyeblack cuts out.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 9:03 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by Threeway Handshake at 9:03 AM on June 24, 2011
never seen it on the pros.
I watch a ton of baseball and see pros wear it frequently.
posted by rtha at 9:21 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
I watch a ton of baseball and see pros wear it frequently.
posted by rtha at 9:21 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you wear glasses or goggles, or have a visor in front of your face, eye black can significantly reduce the glare reflection of your face. Too bad you can't black the sclera.
posted by fake at 9:24 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by fake at 9:24 AM on June 24, 2011
The Bedouins use kohl to darken their eyes as protection from the sun. If desert-dwelling people are doing it, I'm inclined that this does indeed work.
posted by Specklet at 9:24 AM on June 24, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Specklet at 9:24 AM on June 24, 2011 [3 favorites]
why the war paint?
Besides the practical glare reduction, some players have indeed used it in an effort to intimidate the opposition. You seem to want to sneer at the practice as some sort of (white boy?) macho thing, but I can't blame people for trying anything that may give them an advantage. Good competition means going all out to win within the rules of the game.
never seen it on the pros
You don't actually watch sports, do you?
posted by Dano St at 11:00 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
Besides the practical glare reduction, some players have indeed used it in an effort to intimidate the opposition. You seem to want to sneer at the practice as some sort of (white boy?) macho thing, but I can't blame people for trying anything that may give them an advantage. Good competition means going all out to win within the rules of the game.
never seen it on the pros
You don't actually watch sports, do you?
posted by Dano St at 11:00 AM on June 24, 2011 [1 favorite]
Don't forget your skin might be sweaty as heck too.... that adds to glare significantly.
posted by TravellingDen at 11:01 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by TravellingDen at 11:01 AM on June 24, 2011
Here is a link to the Mythbusters episode on the subject, it has some background on the practice, they deemed it "plausible".
posted by nanojath at 11:08 AM on June 24, 2011
posted by nanojath at 11:08 AM on June 24, 2011
Best answer: Sure, glare is important -- but I can't see how conditions on skin an inch or two from the eye can have any affect on the light hitting the eye.
Have you read the clinical study that has been mentioned? Whether you can imagine a plausible explanation for the phenomenon or not, this study shows that eyeblack does reduce glare. (Granted, a single study isn't a perfect indicator—but it's infinitely better than just guessing, or looking for the answer that feels right.)
As for the mechanism of action: glare is caused, in part, by reflected light. Such as sunlight (coming from above) reflecting off the tops of the cheekbones, and into the eye.
Anyway, even if the stuff doesn't reduce glare, that doesn't mean players aren't wearing it with the expectation that it'll reduce glare. The market for homeopathic medicine is still thriving, too.
posted by ixohoxi at 11:51 AM on June 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
Have you read the clinical study that has been mentioned? Whether you can imagine a plausible explanation for the phenomenon or not, this study shows that eyeblack does reduce glare. (Granted, a single study isn't a perfect indicator—but it's infinitely better than just guessing, or looking for the answer that feels right.)
As for the mechanism of action: glare is caused, in part, by reflected light. Such as sunlight (coming from above) reflecting off the tops of the cheekbones, and into the eye.
Anyway, even if the stuff doesn't reduce glare, that doesn't mean players aren't wearing it with the expectation that it'll reduce glare. The market for homeopathic medicine is still thriving, too.
posted by ixohoxi at 11:51 AM on June 24, 2011 [2 favorites]
Some aircraft follow the same principal. Here is a discussion
posted by Kiwi at 2:51 PM on June 24, 2011
posted by Kiwi at 2:51 PM on June 24, 2011
Back in high school, I played football and wore eye black from time to time, depending on how bright it was at game time. It did reduce glare, at least enough that you didn't have to squint all the time on a bright day (very helpful when trying to catch a high pass).
posted by KingEdRa at 3:59 PM on June 24, 2011
posted by KingEdRa at 3:59 PM on June 24, 2011
It comes in and out of fashion. Eyeblack seems to be popular in the NFL right now. I remember it being popular in baseball in the early 90s. That may be a slightly false memory. Eyeblack is something I associate very strongly with Mark Grace (see here, for example, though that's from 1999 or 2000, from the C on his sleeve--I can't remember when the Cubs introduced captains (after 1998) and Grace left after the 2000 season), so I could just be imposing his preference for eyeblack on all of the early 90s. I've worn eyeblack playing baseball as a kid, but I suspect it was just that we were all imitating Mark Grace. (So in that sense it could trend regionally a bit, but it's not a regional tradition.)
posted by hoyland at 7:51 PM on June 24, 2011
posted by hoyland at 7:51 PM on June 24, 2011
I've worn it, it does reduce glare. By a surprising amount. Like wearing polarized sunglasses.
posted by gjc at 2:14 AM on June 25, 2011
posted by gjc at 2:14 AM on June 25, 2011
Here's the word you're looking for: AMBIENT glare. It's not like glare off a window reflection or a shiny motorcycle's chrome pipes. It's the ambient glare from being bombarded by arena lights from above.
Frankly it's just as brilliant an idea as the Eskimo/Inuit slit-style sunglasses.
posted by carlh at 12:49 PM on June 25, 2011
Frankly it's just as brilliant an idea as the Eskimo/Inuit slit-style sunglasses.
posted by carlh at 12:49 PM on June 25, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by thinkpiece at 8:29 AM on June 24, 2011