What is "stickum"

"glue, paste," 1909, from stick (v.).

n. (context North America informal English) Any adhesive, adhesive residue; any sticky or gummy substance.

Stickum is a trademark adhesive of Mueller Sports Medicine, of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, United States. It is available in powder, paste and aerosol spray forms. According to the company website, the spray form is "excellent for bat handles and vaulting poles." Many vendors also promote the product for use by weightlifters, and for various other athletic applications.

Stickum, along with other adhesive or "sticky" substances (such as glue, rosin (tree sap), or food substances), were used for years in the National Football League to assist players in gripping the ball. The use of adhesives such as Stickum was banned by the league in 1981, and the resulting action became known as the " Lester Hayes rule" in association with the Oakland Raiders defensive back known for his widespread use of Stickum. Despite the ban, Hall of Famer Jerry Rice freely admitted to illegally using stickum throughout his career, leading many fans to question the integrity of his receiving records. Rice's claim that "all players" in his era used stickum was quickly discredited by Hall of Fame contemporaries Cris Carter and Michael Irvin.

In recent years the NBA has also seen its players use Stickum; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard was caught using Stickum in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. Howard later admitted that he had been using the substance for years, but neither he nor the Rockets were reprimanded by the league; however, they were given a warning by the NBA to not use the substance again.