Why do professional baseball players put pine tar on their batting helmets?
372346
They don't intentionally put on their helmet, the put it on their bats, and then adjust their helmet with the same hand.  Some baseball players are really grimy and don't get new helmets very often.  You would think they could afford new helmets or a tip to the bat boy to clean it off.
27136
It's for padding, heat and sunscreen. Seriously. I'm not kidding. The padding is so if you fall, you have something to protect your head. (a small fall)
438251
If you watch the pre-race build up, you will notice put a baliclava type thin gon thier heads. Once that's on & thev'e squeezed their helmet on, nothing moves, so there is less chance of irritation. You might also notice, if you look at their faces inside the helmets, they look very squashed.\n\nBut if, even after all that, they still get an itch. I would immagine they would probably grit their teeth even harder & if it's really bad; scream alot.
342605
Baseball (or baseball players) is a very superstitious game. People do weird stuff in their believe that it will help their team win.
173722
yes and no... the rule was "grand-fathered" into the league, so after the rule was initiated, the players (& officials) who were new to the league were required to wear helmets, while players and officials who were already in the league were given a choice. this wont happen, but if Gordie Howe decided to return, he wouldnt have to wear a helmet, while all others do
992256
because the team practices it  and its called throwing around its kind of saying good job to the pitcher and they dont always throw it around because if somebody is on base they could steal
146454
Pro football players wear them when they play outdoor games in the snow/cold.  Unless you are doing something similar, it's not ok.
816740
It is so the batter can see the ball off the pitcher's hand.  Notice that that area is usually painted a dark color to make it easier to see the ball.
1159905
this year some of the players have been wearing tights for support and to keep their muscles warm. i read that this is probably going to be banned by the commissioner. i get a kick out of the players that wear knee-high socks.
659895
In fast pitch there are some pitchers who decide they want to wear a mask. My team faced one this spring who wore one. Last summer there was a girl in a nearby high school who got hit in the face and had to get reconstructive surgery. She was out for a while but she came back and played without a mask or anything.
433390
The answers are correct.  Craig McTavish was the last player to not wear a helmet.  There were several players who didn't wear helmets after the rule change came in and they were allowed to continue due to a grandfather clause that allowed any player who did not wear a helmet before the rule change, could continue without one.  It was discouraged though, as it was a liability issue.
96401
In addition to the first poster, who is correct, MLB baseballs have a cork center.  This is surrounded by blue and red rubber (why the color difference, who knows), and then by string and wooly yarn... in several layers.  The string is the last item before the cover.  Then, the ball is stitched with 108 stitches of red yarn, which hold together 2 figure-8 sections of painted cowhide (they don't use horsehide anymore).  It's been this way, supposedly, since waaaaay back.  Oh, they would never juice the ball :p\n\nAlso, balls tend toward the smaller of the allowed dimensions: optimally, they are 5 oz, 9" in most leagues...
1009533
These guys are all being literal.\n\nRallying in baseball is when a team strings together some hits and scores some runs, usually when they're behind late in a game.\n\nFans sometimes wear what's come to be called a rally cap for this.  A rally cap is basically a baseball cap that's been turned inside out and flipped into some completely ridiculous position on the head.\n\nExample:  The Yankees headed to the 9th inning trailing by 2 runs... but rallied in the 9th to send the game into extra innings.  See what I mean?
603286
because they use so much pine tar and stuff, so many of the batters also have superstitions about it, so they never clean it at all.
691707
Many professional players believe stongly in "luck" and "jinxes".  They could believe that if they take a shower, shave or don't wear a certain article of clothing, they'll "jinx" their streak and lose a game.
582153
He suffered a blow to the face two or three years ago that nearly ended his career. Another blow to the same unprotected area would be very dangerous for him. He wears the mask now as a precaution and has gotten used to playing in it. There are a few others around the league too.
1154374
You put it on the grip part of the handle of the bat and no it is not illegal as long as does not extend further than 18 IN up the handle (see the rule at the bottom of my answer).\n\nIf you are referring to the George Brett incident, at that time it was illegal to have pine tar so far up your bat.  The rule stemmed from a commissioner many years ago wanting to save balls from getting pine tar on them.  After the George Brett ejection the commissioner looked into the rule and rewrote it adding the note at the end of the rule.\n\nRule 1.10\n(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18 inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game.\nNOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to (c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected from the game.