If you are a baseball or MLB (Major League Baseball) fan, you must have noticed the players wearing chains during the games. In fact, wearing chains is quite popular in the baseball world, but why do baseball players wear chains?
As you would expect, the most common reason that baseball players wear chains is to improve their appearance. Other than that, some players have religious reasons behind wearing chains, while some simply think that wearing a chain improves their performance.
In this blog, we will cover the primary reasons that baseball players use chains as a part of their attire.
Why do Baseball Players Wear Chains?
1) To Improve their Appearance:
Gold is precious and expensive, and is associated with prestige, luxury, and power. Baseball players, especially those that bag multimillion dollar contracts, often purchase their gold chains from the most renowned gold dealers.
Buying gold chains is just something that wealthy people enjoy doing. While some players conceal their gold chains underneath their jerseys, others decide to unbutton their shirts and leave the audience blinded in the glitter of their expensive jewel. The sparkling jewelry, especially when coupled with the impressive physiques that baseball players usually have, make the players come across as macho and masculine.
2) Religious Reasons:
Often, baseball players wear chains that have cross-shaped symbols. As you can guess, wearing such chains has to do with religion.
Religion is important to people – especially to people who believe in spirituality. Hence, religious baseball players often wear ‘cross’ chains and necklaces before stepping out onto the field. The cross, of course, represents the cross where Jesus died and was believed to have been resurrected, and is therefore a sacred symbol for Christians.
Other than that, religious players often perform ‘procedural’ acts prior to or during a baseball game. For instance, some players will kiss the cross on their chain before they come out to bat or hit the hitter’s box.
3) To Increase Confidence:
The third reason that baseball players wear chains is a superstitious one. Some players believe that wearing a chain or any other piece of jewelry will make them perform better. There are players who believe that their chain will help them hit a home run or strike out an opposition player.
A few popular MLB players – including Justin Verlander and Jon Lester – claim that wearing a chain has enhanced their in-game performance. A Phiten necklace has become a must-have accessory for many MLB players.
Types of Chains that Baseball Players Wear:
1) Gold Chain:
It is hard to go wrong with gold chains, which is why it is often the most popular choice for baseball players. A gold chain is lightweight and sophisticated, and will not feel like an added burden during the game.
Inspired by their heroes and idols, a lot of baseball fans have also started wearing gold chains.
2) Gold-Plated Chains:
These necklaces often come with interwoven or plaited designs. Gold-plated chains are very thick and, therefore, eye-catching, which is why all types of athletes love them.
However, a major drawback of gold-plated chains is that they can obstruct the wearer’s view. Other than that, the chain can get entangled once a player starts to run or increase their acceleration.
3) Gold Cross Chains:
« Left Field vs Center Field vs Right Field in Baseball
Best Cameras for Recording Baseball Games »
Like we mentioned, gold cross chains are almost always worn by religious and devoted baseball players. These chains are relatively heavier but smaller than the conventional gold chains we discussed above.
Some experts have expressed safety concerns about players wearing gold cross chains during games. For example, infielders (and even outfielders) often have to field a ball by lying on their stomach. In such instances, the cross-section of the chain might stab the players in the neck.
4) Phiten Necklaces:
A Phiten necklace, which looks a lot like a twisted rope, has become a vital accessory for a number of MLB players.
The designer claims that the chain has been infused with titanium. In addition, the kind of titanium used is also quite unusual, as it has been transformed into an active compound known as Aqua-titanium.
It is believed that Aqua-titanium acts as a small magnet and redesigns the electric field inside the body. As a result, the compound will stimulate the nerves, causing players to become more aggressive and competitive during games.
Which MLB Players Wear Chains?
These days, gold chains in MLB are most commonly associated with Mookie Betts. Betts received this chain as a present from a fan, while he was taking on the Boston Red Sox in a spring practice match.
Other than Mookie Betts, there are a number of MLB players who don gold chains around their necks. This list includes Javier Baez, Mallex Smith, Chris Archer, and Juan Soto. Some players show off their chains, while others keep it hidden under their jerseys. Derek Jeter, one of New York Yankees best players, also wears a necklace. However, since this necklace is concealed under Jeter’s shirt, it might not be noticeable on TV.
Do Other Sports Allow Players to Wear Chains?
Not all sports permit players to wear chains. The NBA (National Basketball Association), for instance, prohibits players from wearing chains. This is because, should two players collide, coming into contact with the chain could lead to serious injuries.
The NFL (National Football League), meanwhile, allows players to wear jewelry during games, but no hard objects should be involved. Most NFL players wear the chains under their jerseys in order to avoid injuries.
Our Final Thoughts:
To sum up, the kind of chains that are worn by baseball players often reflect their personalities and beliefs. Many players wear chains to look more stylish, while others wear it out of devotion to their religion.
Regardless of the reasons, chains have become extremely popular among baseball players. In some cases, watching the players wear chains can lead to shopping waves and increases in demands for the product, as more and more people look to emulate their idols and favorite personalities.
