Although it is unusual, and the benefits of doing so are unclear, some baseball players do pee on their hands. The most common reasons cited are to toughen the skin, to soften the skin, and to prevent or treat blisters or calluses. Urine contains an organic compound called urea, which also is produced commercially and included in many moisturizing skin creams.

Players Who Have Admitted It

During an interview in 2004, Moises Alou, a professional baseball player, revealed that he pees on his hands to harden the skin and prevent calluses. Alou, who played for the Chicago Cubs at the time, said he did not know where he learned this trick, but he credited the practice with his ability to hit without using batting gloves. These gloves are worn by many players while batting to improve their grip on the bat and to avoid blisters, calluses or other harmful effects on the skin of the hands.

Other baseball players have also admitted to the practice, including Jorge Posada, a former catcher for the New York Yankees, and Kerry Wood, who was then a pitcher for the Cubs. Although he did not do it regularly, Wood said he tried it when he was having difficulty getting rid of blisters on his hand.