Relationship of Eye Color to Professional Baseball Players' Batting Statistics Given on Bubblegum Cards

Abstract

139 professional baseball players who appeared on Topps bubble gum cards (copyright 1987) were subjects. The players, whose printed eye colors could be identified from their photographs, were sorted into three categories of 45 dark-eyed white players, 27 light-eyed white players, and 67 black players. The statistics on the backs of the cards were dependent measures and included: Games, At Bat, Runs, Hits, Second Base, Third Base, Home Runs, Runs Batted In, Stolen Bases, SLG, Bunts, Strike Outs, and Batting Average. Analyses of variance performed on the data with light-eyed white and dark-eyed white players as independent variables yielded no significant effects for any of the statistics. Further analysis with light- and dark-eyed white players combined and black players as independent variables showed that black ball players scored more third-base hits, stole more bases, and had better batting averages than white players.