5 Players Who Took Eye Black Too Far
Eye black is the black grease, typically made from beeswax and charcoal powder, that football, baseball, and lacrosse players use under the eye to prevent glare. It's a common sight at football games. While most players use a single stripe of it under each eye, some take it a step further and use it to make a statement. And of course, some take their eye black applications just a little bit too far.
Here are a few of the most memorable eye black wearers in sports.
Addison Lawrence
Addison Lawrence of the Baltimore Ravens is known for his wild eye black designs. Instead of a single stripe, Lawrence frequently surrounds his entire eye, the top of his nose, and parts of his cheeks, with eye black for a look that has a lot of fans scratching their heads.
Matt Mengel
UCLA's Bruins are known for taking their eye black a little too seriously, but former punter Matt Mengel might have won the award for the most creative eye black look at a 2014 game against the USC Trojans when he decorated his face with eye black from the bottom up.
Ronny Cedeno
Former MLB shortstop Ronny Cedeno, who played for the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres, made waves in 2010 when he flipped the switch and showed up to a game with an eye black mustache after he and his teammates were challenged by player Bill Crosby to grow mustaches. Apparently Cedeno wasn't able to grow sufficient facial hair and decided to improvise.
Melky Cabrera
Former outfielder for teams including the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees, Melky Cabrera, also known as the Melkman, had fans confused by his use of eye black in 2013 when he added a dash of it to the ends of his beard instead of under the eyes.
Zaven Collins
Zaven Collins may be new to the NFL, but this linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals is no stranger to eye black. His signature full-cheek eye black look can be seen on countless photos and reels from his college years when he played with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, where he won several awards for his defensive skills in 2020.
