<P> Pine tar is also sometimes used by pitchers in baseball to improve grip on the ball in cold weather, although it is questionable whether it gives a pitcher any competitive advantage . However, the application of any foreign substance to a ball (except Baseball Rubbing Mud, which is applied by the umpires) is expressly prohibited by 8.02 of the Official rules of Major League Baseball . If a player is caught violating this rule, it results in an automatic ten - game suspension in the minor leagues . There is no mandatory suspension for this infraction at the major league level, although suspensions are often used to discipline offending players . </P> <P> Pine tar has also been used for treating skin conditions, often as soap, though this use as a drug was banned by the FDA along with many other ingredients, due to a lack of proof of effectiveness . </P> <P> Some pine tar products contain creosote, a probable carcinogen . This depends on whether they were produced in an open or closed kiln . Some soaps are accordingly advertised as "creosote - free ." </P> <P> It is used in veterinary medicine as an expectorant and an antiseptic in chronic skin conditions . </P>

What's the point of pine tar on helmets