MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why do baseballs have red stitching?

Multiple macro views of a baseball

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why do baseballs have red stitching?

If you were watching the World Series last night (Congrats Dodgers! Sorry to all the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox fans here in CT) you may have wondered why the stitching on the baseballs is red?

Way back before the 1900s baseballs used to have more of a cowhide color on the stitching. But around 1934 the MLB decided to implement the red stitching on all the balls in the league. to this day each ball now has 108 double-stitches of waxed red thread. The reason for the color red is mostly so the batter can see the ball better when at bat. Makes sense!

 

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