Spalding baseball gloves are very popular fielder's gloves made by
the A.G. Spalding sporting goods company. The Spalding baseball
gloves "Vintage Series" is typically sold in the $130 USD price
range. The Spalding baseball gloves of today are considered to be
the ultimate baseball glove.
Spalding manufactures the Vintage Series is probably one the most
widely used and popular mitts. The Spalding baseball gloves
series combines the better aspects of today's technology with that
of the past. The baseball gloves are designed and manufactured to be
ready-to-play unique gloves. They include premium top grain leather
and a special leather tanning process to make the glove smooth and
able to hold their form and shape. The glove has full grain leather
lacing, original webs, markings and patterns. This ready-to-play
glove series includes:
- Catcher's Mitt (Spalding Vintage Series 08530): Contains a 32.00 inch pattern, oil
treated, one piece web, padded palm, open back, premium steer
hide leather
- First Base Glove (Spalding Vintage Series 08540): Contains a 12.50 first base pattern,
oil treated, Tra-Pocket web, open back, premium steer hide leather.
- Fielder's Glove (Spalding Vintage Series 08520): Contains a 12.00 inch pattern, oil treated,
six finger web, padded palm, open back, premium steer hide leather.
- Fielder's Glove (Spalding Vintage Series 08515): Contains a 11.75 inch pattern, oil treated,
V-Lace web, padded palm, open back, premium steer hide leather.
- Fielder's Glove (Spalding Vintage Series 08510): Contains a 11.50 inch pattern, oil treated,
M. Mantle web, padded palm, open back, premium steer hide leather.
- Fielder's Glove (Spalding Vintage Series 08500): Contains a 11.00 inch pattern, oil treated,
Spider web, padded palm, open back, premium steer hid leather.
Spalding baseball gloves are manufactured in various designs using different
materials. The baseball glove is made out of leather with the primary function
to protect the hand when catching a baseball that batted by an opposing team's
batter. Baseball gloves are designed according to the player's position on the
baseball diamond.
The pitcher's glove doesn't have large web gaps and basically conceals
the ball and finger grip on the ball from the batter. The catcher's glove
is uses a large mitt with no fingers and a lot of padding to catch the
pitched ball. The first baseman's glove is long and wide to catch and
scoop balls thrown to him. The infielder's glove is small with a shallow
"bowl" pocket to enable the player to field the ball and retrieve from
the glove quickly to continue the play. The outfielder's glove is longer
and with little or no pocket. This allows the player to scoop up grounders
or snag balls that are hit high over the head.
Spalding baseball glove have evolved over the years. There was no webbing or
padding in the original baseball gloves. The earlier gloves were small and
thin. They merely covered the palm of the hand to help protect against the
sting of catching a batted or thrown baseball. Baseball gloves started becoming
popular when Spalding began manufacturing them.
For a little history, Albert Goodwill Spalding was born in 1850 and passed
away in 1915. Spalding played the newly formed game of baseball as a pitcher
from 1867 until 1878 when he retired from playing actively but continued as
a significant force in major league baseball until his death.
Spalding started wearing a baseball glove (his own design) in 1877 to protect
his catching hand. He and his brother started manufacturing and selling gloves
and baseballs in 1876. He also published the first official guide of baseball
rules. It required the Spalding baseball to be used in official games.
From 1905 to 1907, Spalding conducted a commission to determine the origin of
American baseball. It concluded erroneously that baseball was invented by Abner
Doubleday in 1839. However, further research at a later date concluded that
baseball really evolved from the English game of cricket.
