How Are Baseball Gloves Made?

Baseball gloves come in different sizes and materials.

The basic tools of baseball are a bat, a ball and a glove. Manufacturers of gloves make such a wide variety that you should have no trouble finding a glove for whatever role you play on the field.

History

The game of baseball saw the appearance of baseball gloves in the 1870s, but they were nothing like today's gloves. Originally gloves did not have fingers and were used only to pad the hand of a fielder so he could swat the ball out of the air. Many players didn’t want to appear weak so they didn’t use gloves. By the 1890s gloves began to take on their modern day look and function, converting from leather padding to a catching device.

Types

You can purchase a baseball glove for a left-handed or right-handed player. You can also choose a glove made for a certain position of a field, such as catcher and first base. A first baseman and catcher may use mitts, which differ from gloves because they have no space between the fingers in the pocket. First baseman gloves and catcher’s gloves are made to be larger than normal gloves. The glove used by a first baseman is usually between 12 and 13 inches and has a little padding in the palm and fingers. A catcher’s mitt large as well, with a circumference of between 31 and 34 inches. Youth should use gloves that are 10 to 11.5 inches in length, made for youth. Adults and teen players should used 11 to 11.5 for infielders and 12 to 12.5 for outfielders.

Materials

Baseball gloves traditionally feature heavy, top-grain leather. Newer gloves use different materials, such as kip leather, which is from younger cattle or the hides from steer. You may pre-oil either type of glove to reduce the amount of time it takes to break it in. Some gloves feature pigskin, and although it is less durable it is easier to break in. Recent years have seen more mitts being made of kangaroo skin. Manufactures make cheaper gloves from synthetic materials.

Construction

After a machine die-cuts the pieces for a glove, a machines sews the glove inside out. Then the person working on the glove turns it right side out and inserts a lining. After inserting a two-part pad into the heel of the glove, he inserts plastic reinforcements near the thumb and little finger to protect the player’s fingers from injury. The webbing, which may consist of two to six pieces, goes between the thumb and the forefinger. The worker then manually laces the whole glove together. To finish the process, the glove goes on a device called a hot hand to make sure all of the fingers have an opening and to shape the glove.

Considerations

Infielders usually prefer an open-webbed glove that allows them to easily access the ball and throw it from player to player. Outfielders prefer the extra support of a closed-webbed glove and a deep palm so they can securely catch a fly ball. Mitts also come with an open back or a closed back.The open back gloves have more flexibility and less weight. Baseball gloves feature an endless number of options to fit the many needs of baseball players.

References

• HRS: Baseball Glove Buyers Guide
• Baseball Gloves: About Baseball Gloves
• Gale Centage: Baseball Glove