Eye Black - Why Do Athletes Wear It - Eyeblack Reasons

Eye black, or eyeblack, is pretty cool looking, if you ask me. My question, though, is why athletes - football players, baseball, etc. - even wear it. Is the threat of glare so great that they need it? Or is it really just a cool thing to put on ... a little like a ritual getting ready for a contest.

Eye black - Paul Hornung wore it, and it looked cool.

I read that a friend of mine had to wash several towels because her daughter, who is in fifth grade, got eye black all over them. She's a catcher and a helluva ballplayer. Anyway, when I was a kid, the backs on our little league football team got to wear eye black, but us linemen were denied.

Now, of course, they have stickers instead of the actual eye black, and the stickers of course have logos and other things on them.

Eye black stickers - Reggie Bush's said "619"

According to ESPN's Paul Lucas, Washington fullback Andy Farkas started wearing eye black in 1942. Lucas also cited some studies saying it doesn't work, or work that well ...

Eye black pioneer Andy Farkas

Hot Doug's has No. 3 hot dog in U.S. ... but No. 2 in Chicago!!

Hot Doug's Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage was ranked the No. 3 "hot dog" in the country by "The Daily Meal" website. No. 1? 1: Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots, Chicago: Mighty Dog. Doug will not be happy to hear this! Which sorta delights me, in a perverse way. Especially since we ALL know the No. 1 sausage on the Hot Doug's menu is the bratwurst. ...

For the Fat Johnnies, they say "some Chicagoans might even do a double-take at" ... no kiddin'. Fat Johnnies is at 7232 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60686.

Superdawg (No. 6), Gene and Jude's (No. 18), and Wiener’s Circle (No. 27) made the list. Also, Blue Ash Chili in Cincinnati made the list at 21. Never been there. They mentioned Skyline Chili in the blog. I will say, I adore Skyline coneys, but ... I think the Skyline hot dog in the Coney doesn't have enough hot dog flavor. ... If they would make that better, I'd be in. But I may have to try Blue Ash.

Hot Doug's and blues bars don't have anything to do with each other. ... This just made me laugh.

Here's the list:

#35: Gray’s Papaya, New York City: New York-Style
#34: Bob's Drive Inn, Le Mars, Iowa: Bob Dog
#33: Good Dog, Houston: Ol’ Zapata Dog
#32: Memphis Taproom Beer Garden, Philadelphia: The Polser
#31: Gus's, Birmingham, Ala.: Greek Dog
#30: Simone’s Hot Dog Stand, Lewiston, Maine: Red Snapper
#29: Coney I-Lander, Tulsa, Okla.: Coney
#28: Nathan’s Famous, Coney Island, N.Y.: Mustard and Sauerkraut
#27: Wiener’s Circle, Chicago: Double Chardog
#26: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles: Dodger Dog with Mustard, Ketchup, Onions, and Relish
#25: Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Va.: Chili Dog
#24: Coney Island Lunch, Scranton, Pa.: Texas Wiener
#23: Clare & Carl's, Plattsburgh, N.Y.: Michigan Hot Dog
#22: Boston Super Dog, Roxbury, Mass.: Loaded
#21: Blue Ash Chili, Cincinnati: Cheese Coney
#20: Shake Shack, Multiple Locations: Shack-cago Dog
#19: El Guero Canelo, Tucson, Ariz.: Sonoran Dog
#18: Gene and Jude’s, Chicago: Hot Dog with Fries
#17: Bark Hot Dogs, Brooklyn, N.Y.: Bacon Cheddar Dog
#16: Pink’s, Los Angeles: Three Dog Night
#15: Walter's, Mamaroneck, N.Y.: With Homemade Mustard
#14: J. S. Pulliam Barbecue, Winston-Salem, N.C.: Chili Slaw Dog
#13: Senate Restaurant, Cincinnati: Croque Madame
#12: Ben’s Chili Bowl, Washington, D.C.: The Half-Smoke
#11: Lafayette Coney Island, Detroit: Coney
#10: Dew Drop Inn, Mobile, Ala.: Dew Drop Dog
#9: Flo's, Camp Neddick, Maine: Hot Dog with Mayo, Celery Salt, Relish
#8: Katz’s Deli, New York City: Mustard and Sauerkraut
#7: Rawley’s Drive-In, Fairfield, Conn.: "The Works"
#6: Superdawg, Chicago: Superdawg
#5: Olneyville N.Y. System, North Providence, R.I.: NY System Dog
#4: Schaller’s Drive-In, Rochester, N.Y.: Meat Sauce, Mustard, Onions
#3: Hot Doug’s, Chicago: Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage
#2: Rutt’s Hut, Clifton, N.J.: The Ripper with Relish
#1: Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots, Chicago: Mighty Dog