The Farkas Family Gives Sports a Black Eye

Ever wonder why football and baseball players at every level put black marks under their eyes?

Well according to a Yale University study, the evidence of eye black use dates at least to a 1942 photograph of a Washington Redskins player named Andy Farkas. Andy was a star running back for the world-champion Redskins in 1942. He also happens to be the grandfather of Brian Farkas (’01) a popular Holy Cross student who finished his degree at Notre Dame. After graduation, Brian became a Holy Cross College admissions counselor for a year.

But does the stuff really do anything other than making you look tough? A 2003 study by Brian DeBroff and Patricia Pahk published in the Journal of Ophthamology proves it really does! According to Wikipedia, “they tested whether black eye grease actually had anti-glare properties. The subjects of the study were divided into three groups: wearers of eye black, wearers of antiglare stickers, and wearers of petroleum jelly. The subjects’ vision was tested using an eye chart while being exposed to natural sunlight. The study concluded that eye black reduced glare of the sun and improved contrast sensitivity, whereas commercial antiglare stickers and petroleum jelly (the control substance) were found to be ineffective.”

Today, Brian Farkas has started a new company to market an eye black that is blacker, stays on longer and comes off easier. You can find “Farkas Original Eye Black” in the gift shop at South Bend’s College Football Hall of Fame.