How to Pick Out the Best Baseball Glove
Baseball is a centuries-old sport popularized by iconic figures like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. For the first decade of its life, baseball was played with practically nothing but a ball and a bat. Fielders did not wear specialized gloves outside of work mittens to pad their hands. A lot has changed since then, as gloves are now made specific to each position played on the diamond. Choosing the best baseball glove for you can be confusing, but focusing on your position, hand size and the comfort of the glove can help.
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Instructions
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Measure your hand size. Take a measuring tape and measure from the base of your palm to the end of your middle finger. Write this figure down, as it will help in choosing the best glove for you. Most youth gloves are between 8 and 11 inches, while adult gloves can range from 12 up to 14 inches.
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Write down your budget for your baseball glove purchase. High quality baseball gloves can be quite expensive, as they are made from fine leather and sewn by hand for a strong but comfortable structure. Lower quality gloves are much less expensive, but are usually made from synthetic leather and are machine made. If you are buying a glove for a young player, it is wise to choose a less expensive real leather glove, as the player will likely grow out of the glove within a year or two. Adult players should buy high quality gloves, as they will last for a long time.
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Go to your local sporting good store or baseball specialty shop. Remember to bring your written budget for reference. Go to the baseball gloves section and look for options that fit your budget, your hand and your position.
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Try on at least three or four gloves that fit your criteria. Feel how they fit your hand, and how comfortable they are to use. Some gloves have wool on the inside, while others have microfiber cloth. Have a store employee throw you a few baseballs to catch, and see how each glove moves. Look for a glove that has ample padding in the palm, fits your hand well and doesn't slip and folds easily and without much effort. A high quality leather glove that fits these categories will likely be the best baseball glove for you.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask a baseball coach, player, or sports store employee for suggestions or help. They may be able to tell you a specific brand or quality that is well made.
Decide what position you play the most. If you are a catcher or first basemen, you will need to exclusively look at catcher's or first base mitts. If you play the outfield or third base, an open web, wider glove will play better. If you play the middle infield spots, a smaller, closed web glove will be perfect for your position.
Do not expect new gloves to feel like a used one. New gloves are usually more stiff than older leather gloves, as they have not been broken in yet. Breaking in a new glove makes it fit your hand better as well.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
