The unique properties of baseball's famed "magic" mud have never been scientifically quantified—until now. In a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science (Penn Engineering) and School of Arts & Sciences (SAS) reveal what makes the magic mud so special.

While it can’t be credited with winning the Los Angeles Dodgers their eighth World Series championship, baseball’s “magic mud” is the stuff of lore. Each Major League Baseball (MLB) team’s equipment manager applies it to every game ball. It improves the grip on the ball, can dull the shine on a new ball, and keep it from getting damaged.

For decades, all the balls used in Major League Baseball have been coated with mud harvested from a secret spot along a Delaware River tributary in New Jersey. Only a few people knew of the exact location and until recently,

A special mud gets rubbed on every baseball before every MLB game to make them less slippery. A new study explains the science behind why it works.

The unique properties of baseball’s famed “magic” mud have never been scientifically quantified — until now. In a new paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (

A fascinating new study has revealed the mysterious science behind Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud, a specialized substance applied to Major League Baseball (MLB) baseballs to make them easier to grip.

Scientists unveil the long-mysterious qualities of baseball’s “magic” mud, which every MLB team uses on game balls. The unique properties of baseball’s famed “magic” mud have never been scientifically quantified — until now.