Dark red, in fact, was popular for several years in the latter 1800s since “dazzling” white balls could present challenges to fielders and batters on bright, sunny days. Interestingly, cricket, the sport that may most resemble baseball, traditionally uses a red ball for its greater visibility. In the modern era, yellow, orange, and red baseballs were experimented with at the Astrodome to deal with the glare from ceiling panels until they were given a uniform grayish tint. In the 1970s, A’s owner Charlie Finley once experimented with an orange ball in spring training.
