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The History of American Baseball Gloves
The History of American Baseball goes all the way back to when a Civil War hero named Abner Doubleday developed the game in 1839, and since then the game has expanded and developed to a whole new level, especially the baseball gloves. It is an interesting journey of design and technological development that reflects shifts in baseball as a game and the materials that were accessible at different times. -
Hands as gloves
In the early stages of the evolving sport, baseball, many players used zero protection on their hands. This led to many bruised palms, hands, and fingers. With a ball flying at you at a very high speed many defenders had much worse injuries such as broken fingers and hands. You were seen as "weak" if you wore a glove in baseball's early days. -
Using anything they could
In the 1860s, the glove was mostly used for protection. To begin, it was mostly catchers that used gloves to prevent sore hands. Players would cut off the fingers of a set of work gloves or tradesmen's gloves that they bought or repurposed. While some players wore railroad brakeman's or driving gloves, andothers chose bricklayer's gloves. For padding they would use whatever they could such hay, sponges, or raw meat. -
Buckskin Gloves
A man named, Doug Allison, wore a pair of buckskin mittens while serving as the catcher. In order to protect their hands from the high velocity of pitches being thrown to them, other catchers stood far away from the batter, but he was able to stand much closer, giving him a competitive edge. -
Spalding Enters The Game
Growing up as a kid in sports many of use have probably used some form of gear or equipment from the brand "Spalding". Albert Spalding was a star pitcher for the Boston Red Stockings in the 1870s, and made the move to first base and threw on a glove and the rest was history for him. A.G. Spalding started the sporting goods company bearing his name in 1876, and his 1877 Spalding’s Official Base Ball Guide first listed catcher’s gloves for sale. -
Competitor Across the Globe
In 1906, Rihachi Mizuno established the Mizuno Corporation in Japan. Mizuno was manufacturing baseball gloves of superior quality by 1913. Baseball players in the US gradually learned about Mizuno's outstanding craftsmanship and innovative glove technology. Mizuno has grown to become a major player in baseball gloves in the second half of the 20th century, not just in Japan and the US but also globally. -
The Rawlings Company
Doak later sold his concept to Rawlings and received a patent for it. As the leading glove supplier at the time, Rawlings took this design and ran with it, outperforming Albert Spalding. In the present day, more than half of professional baseball players now wear Rawlings gloves. -
Bill Doak expands the glove
Bill Doak, a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, invented a methodto replace the fundamental webbing used in gloves. He constructed a web, which would expand the glove's "pocket" and catching area. Players weren't forced to use their palms to catch the ball for the first time in baseball history. Defenderswere able to catch more effectively because of this improved web design. As a result, they are better able to move the ball to their throwing hand, which improves their throwing accuracy. -
Change for Outfielders with the Wilson a2000
Wilson unveiled a glove that was primarily created by the players during spring training in 1957. Wilson produced the A2000, a highly well-liked baseball glove style. The A2000 closed like a set of jaws and featured a deeper pocket. Infielders and outfielders were now effortlessly catching fly balls and grounders. It's possible that this particular glove line contributed to the fact that, since its release, no batter has been able to hit the.400 batting average. -
1900-2000s Gloves
The emergence of high-tech, professional gloves occurred in the 1990s and 2000s. For improved comfort and durability, businesses like Rawlings, Wilson, and Mizuno kept improving designs using high-end materials like kip leather, steerhide, and cowhide. Custom-fitting gloves and pre-shaped gloves, which made them easier to break into, were among the innovations that became popular. -
Gloves in game today
Glove manufacturers started producing gloves for specific positions, such as a catcher mitt with additional padding to withstand pitches and outfielder gloves with larger webs. New materials like carbon fiber and synthetic leathers are being used in modern baseball gloves to increase performance without increasing weight. They have evolved greatly from the original mitts and are now a necessary component of baseball, offering players of all skill levels comfort, protection, and functionality.