Part 4/10:

Players and commentators began to suggest the existence of a so-called "rabbit ball," a term used to describe these high-flying, lively balls. Theories varied widely; some posited that the ball was intentionally enhanced by MLB to boost viewership amid a troubled reputation stemming from strikes, drug scandals, and collusions that plagued the league in preceding years. While the theory of deliberate tampering gained traction, others argued it stemmed from players being juiced on performance-enhancing drugs, a notion that would eventually escalate into the steroid era of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Different Theories Surrounding the Home Run Surge

The rabbit ball debate introduced several theories to explain the explosion in home runs—both in 1987 and subsequently in 2019.