Do Baseball Players Pee on Their Hands?
Given that I've posted periodically about various forms of urine therapy, I was intrigued to come across this slate.com article alleging that many professional baseball players regularly pee on their hands in the belief that the urine will toughen their skin: "In a recent interview with ESPN's Gary Miller, Chicago Cubs outfielder Moises Alou revealed that during baseball season he urinates on his hands to toughen them up. Alou, one of the few major leaguers who doesn't wear gloves while batting, is backed up by Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who says, "You don't want to shake my hand during spring training." Even Cubs hurler Kerry Wood mentioned on a local radio show that he's tried the technique to remedy blisters on his pitching hand."
The article goes on to argue that urine probably would work well to soften your skin since urea is an ingredient in many commercial moisturizing lotions, but it's very doubtful that it will do anything to toughen up the skin. Slate.com figures that this hand-peeing fad is just another one of the many superstitions that baseball players get hooked on to try to improve their game.
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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There is one good reason to never shake a baseball player's hand. Yuck!
Posted by Myst on Sun Apr 03, 2005 at 10:46 PM
Yalie: At Yale we learn to wash our hands after peeing.
Harvard Man: At Harvard we learn not to pee on our hands.
Posted by andychrist on Sun Apr 03, 2005 at 11:20 PM
Harvard Man: At Harvard we learn not to pee on our hands.
That's what a lot of the cowboys back home do when they get a cut while they're out, in order to (lol) "sanitize" the wound.
Posted by Winona in USA on Sun Apr 03, 2005 at 11:29 PM
Winona, where IS "back home"? Just curious.
Just general, no need for specifics. Well, a little more specific than "Earth", or "Mars".
I know it's a belief around here (with the old-timers, anyway) that urinating on a cut seals it and prevents infection.
I haven't read Alex's links above yet, because it's kind of a slow night (heh heh).
I do know, however, without any looking around, that fresh urine is sterile (unless you have a bladder infection), and washing out a cut is generally a good idea. Kinda nasty when you pee on yourself, but hey, piss happens. I, myself, would prefer to leave the cut alone than pee on it.
As for toughening the skin, wouldn't it just be easier to rub your hands with sandpaper once in a while? Not to mention less smelly, esp. if you like asparagus
.
And, from what I have read, peeing on your feet is supposed to help cure athlete's foot, but I've never had it, so I've never tried. And it's not like I'm gonna go asking peole if it works...
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 12:16 AM
Just general, no need for specifics. Well, a little more specific than "Earth", or "Mars".
I know it's a belief around here (with the old-timers, anyway) that urinating on a cut seals it and prevents infection.
I haven't read Alex's links above yet, because it's kind of a slow night (heh heh).
I do know, however, without any looking around, that fresh urine is sterile (unless you have a bladder infection), and washing out a cut is generally a good idea. Kinda nasty when you pee on yourself, but hey, piss happens. I, myself, would prefer to leave the cut alone than pee on it.
As for toughening the skin, wouldn't it just be easier to rub your hands with sandpaper once in a while? Not to mention less smelly, esp. if you like asparagus
.And, from what I have read, peeing on your feet is supposed to help cure athlete's foot, but I've never had it, so I've never tried. And it's not like I'm gonna go asking peole if it works...
You're meant to pee on jellyfish stings, aren't you?
Posted by Boo in The Land of the Haggii... on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 01:28 AM
>>You're meant to pee on jellyfish stings, aren't you?
I think so; offhand, Jellyfish venom is acidic and piss is alkaline, so it balances the pH and reduces the pain.
Er, I think.... not intended on trying this out, myself....
Posted by aw in Glasgow on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 02:50 AM
I think so; offhand, Jellyfish venom is acidic and piss is alkaline, so it balances the pH and reduces the pain.
Er, I think.... not intended on trying this out, myself....
I seem to remember some singer (possibly Natalie Imbruglia? Kerys from Catatonia?) shot a video where she was rolling around on a beach. In an interview she said that she'd been stung and everybody else refused to pee on it, so she had to do it herself.
Personally, I'm not sure whether peeing on it myself would be better or worse than having someone else do it for me.
Posted by Boo in The Land of the Haggii... on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 03:15 AM
Personally, I'm not sure whether peeing on it myself would be better or worse than having someone else do it for me.
It happened on an episode of Friends...GO JOEY!
Posted by Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 06:21 AM
Your supposed to pour Vinegar on JF stings. You then piss on the JF that stung you. Get it right people!
Posted by X in McKinney, TX on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 06:28 AM
Rod: I'm originally from western Canada.
Posted by Winona in USA on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 07:05 AM
This link is to a study that Susan Scott is doing in Hawaii, which basically says that people need to stop peeing on themselves when they get a jellyfish sting. It doesn't do any good.
http://www.susanscott.net/OceanWatch1999/mar22-99.html
Posted by Nymph on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 08:06 AM
http://www.susanscott.net/OceanWatch1999/mar22-99.html
THATS pretty damned Funny....Thanks Nymph!
Posted by X in McKinney, TX on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 08:30 AM
Winona... I come from "The land of Living Skies", according to my licence plate. This translates to Saskatchewan.
All I can say is that it was damned good to see that chinook about a month ago. I hate spring.
According to "The SAS Survival Handbook"...
WARNING
URINE AND SEA WATER
Never drink either - Never! But both can produe drinking water if distilled
(Page 42)
It fails, however to give a reason for not drinking urine, but I seem to recall that it actually has to do with what you have been eating and drinking lately, and the actual level of water in your body already.
Not drinking saltwater, however should just be common sense. SHOULD. But like I say, common sense isn't.
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 09:42 AM
All I can say is that it was damned good to see that chinook about a month ago. I hate spring.
According to "The SAS Survival Handbook"...
WARNING
URINE AND SEA WATER
Never drink either - Never! But both can produe drinking water if distilled
(Page 42)
It fails, however to give a reason for not drinking urine, but I seem to recall that it actually has to do with what you have been eating and drinking lately, and the actual level of water in your body already.
Not drinking saltwater, however should just be common sense. SHOULD. But like I say, common sense isn't.
Rod, I'm from BC, but am now in the midwest us.
I miss mountains. :( Though the prarie does have its own draws...
You know... I think if my pee tasted like strawberries I still wouldn't even try it. I think I just have a way big contamination reflex.
Posted by Winona in USA on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 10:02 AM
I miss mountains. :( Though the prarie does have its own draws...
You know... I think if my pee tasted like strawberries I still wouldn't even try it. I think I just have a way big contamination reflex.
The rockies... Not too long ago I lived where I could see them every day. Now the biggest hill around is, well, still pretty flat looking.
You'd have to hold me down to get me to try it.
As my dad always says, "It's better to be pissed off than pissed on. Unless you're into that."
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 10:14 AM
You'd have to hold me down to get me to try it.
As my dad always says, "It's better to be pissed off than pissed on. Unless you're into that."
@Rod
(again offhand)
Urine contains urea, which is used to transport ammonia out of the body (urea as a compound is a bit less poisonous than ammonia) in particular, plus other waster stuff. So drinking it would simply be retaking all the toxins that urinating is suppossed to remove.
Posted by aw on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 10:40 AM
(again offhand)
Urine contains urea, which is used to transport ammonia out of the body (urea as a compound is a bit less poisonous than ammonia) in particular, plus other waster stuff. So drinking it would simply be retaking all the toxins that urinating is suppossed to remove.
While in vet school, I once had my hands doused in particularly strong dog urine. It burned like hell. I've had the same results from washing my hands several hundred times a day and not using enough lotion. Not sure if my hands are "tougher" or not...
I don't know the normal pH of human urine, but I'd guess it's on the acidic side (dogs/cats are usually slightly acidic, cows more basic). Couldn't you just use lemon juice???
Posted by hippievet on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 11:19 AM
I don't know the normal pH of human urine, but I'd guess it's on the acidic side (dogs/cats are usually slightly acidic, cows more basic). Couldn't you just use lemon juice???
Put lemon juice on your HANDS?
YUCK!
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 11:28 AM
YUCK!
No citrus fruits were harmed in the posting of this comment...
Hey, Pierre, you got a firm handshake, but soft palms... What do you use, some French skin softener? "Oui..." Say, what? "Oui- dat is what I use" You use wee? "Non- Oui, that is what I use". Homina homina homina... could we just wave next time? "Oui". not on me, mon ami
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Mon Apr 04, 2005 at 03:11 PM
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