why do baseball players spit

Baseball players spit primarily due to a combination of historical, cultural, physiological, and practical reasons. Historically, spitting in baseball was strongly associated with the use of chewing tobacco, which required players to spit out excess saliva mixed with tobacco juice. Even after chewing tobacco was banned or reduced, the habit persisted with players chewing gum or sunflower seeds, which also increase saliva production and lead to spitting. Physiologically, physical activity can cause thicker saliva, creating the need to spit to clear the mouth. Additionally, spitting helps players soften their gloves or grip the ball better. Culturally, spitting has become a normative behavior in baseball, deeply ingrained over generations and linked to the slower pace of the game with periods of waiting that invite such habitual actions. It also serves as a tension release or a way to stay occupied during idle moments in the game. Despite being less hygienic and even banned at times for health reasons (e.g., during the COVID-19 pandemic), spitting remains a habitual and symbolic part of baseball behavior. In summary, baseball players spit because it is a deeply rooted habit from chewing tobacco use, influenced by physiological needs from physical exertion, and reinforced by cultural traditions and practical uses in the game.