What is the first hide used to cover baseballs?

Answer 1

Cow hide, Horse hide, or any leather that was readily available was used. Dark leather was used for the cover because it was readily available and easier for the players to see when the ball was hit in the air on a clear day. White baseballs were later introduced (1861) because most ball fields at the time had heavily wooded area back drops, and it was easier to see the white ball. Famed Baseball writer Henry Chadwick advocated using a dark red leather baseball as late as 1875 but white baseballs were used ever since.

In 1970 The maverick owner of the Oakland Athletics Charlie Finley made efforts to introduce a bright orange baseball that Charlie thought might put some pizazz into the stuffy ole national pastime. The Orange Baseball had two principal advantages over conventional white baseballs: (1) fans could follow the flight of an orange ball more easily than a white ball, especially when hit to the outfield, and (2) the batter could more easily see an orange ball being delivered at a speed of 90-100 miles per hour out of the normally white background of a pitcher's uniform.

This 4 piece hand stitched leather skinned "Lemon Peal" style Baseballs were one of the first style baseballs used during the 1850's - 1860's followed by the two piece figure eight baseballs. For more information on vintage baseballs visit the links I left below.