Meet the man behind rubbing ‘magic mud’ on Royals baseballs

A tradition as ancient as the Kansas City Royals themselves quietly flourishes behind the scenes.

Enter Thomas “T-Man” Walsh, the uncelebrated figure responsible for ensuring the readiness of each baseball on game day. “Day games can be quite chaotic,” Walsh commented. “If we have a day game during the week, things get pretty hectic.”

Walsh has been a member of the team since 1984, initially starting in maintenance for the Royals. “I was here even before the players arrived, so I mainly handled tasks like vacuuming and taking out the trash. That’s how I got to witness the 1985 World Series,” he reminisced.

Fourteen years later, Walsh assumed a new and crucial role. Since 1998, he has overseen the process of mud-bathing baseballs in compliance with Major League Baseball regulations.

“I typically prepare 16 or 17 dozen baseballs per game, which amounts to over 16,000 throughout the season,” Walsh explained.

The tradition of mud-bathing baseballs dates back to the 1930s, founded on the belief that applying a thin layer of special mud improves pitchers’ grip and control, now an integral part of the sport. “The process involves rubbing the balls with the mud, then a local MLB-appointed person inspects them,” Walsh elaborated. “He thoroughly examines each ball and sets aside the ones that don’t meet his standards.”

On game days, Walsh meticulously mud-bathes nearly 204 baseballs, a task that has become second nature to him.

“When it comes to rubbing balls during the game, the key is ensuring you have an ample supply. That’s my motto,” Walsh emphasized.

As the day draws to a close, Tom packs up, ready to repeat the process all over again.