Check out this short video for a peek behind the scenes at the glove-making process in Akadema’s NJ factory.
Akadema gloves have a solid reputation in the industry, and seeing the craftsmen at work gives you an idea of the time and effort that goes into making these high quality baseball gloves.
What do you think of Akadema’s gloves?
Talk about a casual catch….this Phillies Fan with food in hand makes it look easy!
Hurrying down the street yesterday, a pair of sneakers caught our eye.
We couldn’t help but notice the look of supple glove leather - these shoes gave us sneaker-envy.
The shoe was highlighted on Sneaker News a while back.
We’re all about baseball gloves around here, but these glove-inspired kicks are so cool we had to share. We like the homage to Bo Jackson, too.
We’re not given to hyperbole, but this has got to rank up there as one of the greatest catches of all time.
It’s definitely among the greatest catches we’ve ever seen. Nice glove work… nice footwork….
This short clip is a must watch.
We love our old, game-tested glove, but nothing lasts forever. Old Faithful’s days are numbered. We just hope we can make it through the summer season.
We’re trying out a few new gloves, and, while we’re excited about the new ones, they need to be broken in.
There’s been talk on the forum about this, of course. Everyone has their own take on it. How do you break in your gloves?
We loved the Ken Burns baseball documentary series back in 1994. Now there’s a new chapter set to premiere in September. We’re going to set our Tivo now.
In the meantime, here’s a taste of what’s coming - a few words from someone who loves his baseball glove as much as we love ours.
Back in the 1880’s, a forward-thinking owner of a sporting goods store in St. Louis took note of a handful of baseball players who were starting to use fielding gloves and thought he could make a better glove.
In his application to the U.S. Patent Office, this enterprising businessman designed a glove that used padding for the “prevention of the bruising of the hands when catching the ball.”
Though it doesn’t much resemble the gloves we use today, it’s fascinating to see the mind of George Rawlings at work.
There’s a colorful and informative article by David Waldstein of The New York Times on a well-worn Rawlings catcher’s mitt that’s ready for retirement. Only problem is, the new mitt (also a Rawlings) isn’t quite broken in yet.
I knew catchers used a special mitt for pitchers who throw knuckleballs, but I didn’t know the pitcher generally supplies it. Did you know that?
The special mitt has a big surface area, larger than that of a normal catcher’s mitt, and it’s a lot lighter and more flexible. So light and flexible, in fact, that durability can be a problem, so it’s good to have its successor waiting in the wings.
Breaking in a new glove, we’re always trying to form a deep pocket.
Here’s an interesting take on getting a deeper pocket in your glove. It’s all technique: shift your fingers over one spot in the glove, et voila!
Feels a little strange, but heck, it’s worth a try!
When the Brooklyn Atlantics faced the New York Mutuals earlier this month in Islip, they played by the rules of 1864.
The most obvious difference between 1864 and the modern era? No gloves and hand-made balls. Home plate was round!
Any reachable ball was in the strike zone. Foul balls weren’t strikes. Catching the ball on one hop? That’s an out!!
While some of these rules may seem arcane, it’s pretty easy to see the appeal of Vintage Baseball. Some leagues play by the The Atlantics and Mutuals are among the approximately 250 teams competing in Vintage Baseball Leagues across the country.
Different teams and leagues play by different rules. Some use the early style of gloves, some use none at all. Check out the VBBA for information about teams playing in your area.
Learn more about the early days of baseball here. And be grateful for your glove!
