What I Know And Remember About Baseball- Glove
Frustration
Author: Mitchell Dowdy

In the mid 70's growing up in East Tacoma, not the best
neighborhood and not quite the worst, there was little to do for
a boy whose lot in life was to stay at home with his older
sister and younger brother while mom was at work. There were no
such things as `after school activities' or `select leagues'. We
had the Boys Club. A mere 8 blocks from home (if you knew the
short-cuts, 13 if you followed the streets). The grumpy old man
that ran our boys club, Jim, was actually a monument to
commitment. He was still the grumpy old man that ran it when I
was in college.

Games were on Saturday and the turnout was usually light. Some
Dads, some Moms, some Grand-pa's. There was always 2 or more
Dads with new shiners they received the night before; proud of
how they mixed it up. Some of the Moms were a little more quiet.
Covered with scarf's and over-sized sunglasses or just a little
extra make-up if the swelling wasn't so bad.

Grand-pa's were always the regulars. Chewing on smoldering
stogies and arguing about something from the moment the left the
parking lot. If they weren't arguing with each other they stood
shoulder to shoulder nagging the umpire about his vision. Which
I thought was funny as I could only imagine what these seniors
could actually see through the pop bottle bottoms they wore for
glasses. Morning games always had lighter attendance. Afternoon
ones a few more. Standing at the end of the fence were the Dad's
sipping out of a paper bag.

The Club provided the shirts, hats, bats, catchers gear and the
standard GI issue duffle bag to lug it all around in. We
provided our own gloves. Pants and shoes were the run what ya
brung variety. Gear was predominately purchased at the B&I. With
its own celebrity, Ivan the Gorilla, we all went there, we all
wore the $4 jeans, we all sported various versions of what was
offered, but we never talked about it.

For myself, Rawlings was the brand. 12" glove, genuine leather
with a deep well pocket. I used this glove from 1972 to 1983. At
a team practice or game. I could identify, on the run, every
glove on our team; who it belonged to, what position they
played. The balance of the team could do so as well. We didn't
have much, be there was a lot of pride in our gloves. How they
helped us make the impossible plays. Catch the un-catchable
ball. Just like the pro's whose named adorned them. Even after
moving to rural Puyallup in 77, players were the same, gloves of
greater variety but still everyone know who's was who's.

Not so with current players. Gloves seem to be designed to last
1 season. $50 - $75 of annual parent frustration. The love of
the glove is not the same. Disposable tool for a generation
proclaiming recycling. Its just beyond my consideration.

As a parent, finances are substantially different then when I
was growing up. I tend to save my money and buy the best of what
I need. This goes for my kids as well. I have no qualms about
getting the better end of what is available to meet their needs.
My oldest on a whim decided to try out for a select baseball
team and playing up a year. To my amazement they took him, but
the backyard glove I'd taught him with would not be sufficient
for the rigors he was to encounter. So, no problem, just find a
good glove for a left hand thrower. WHAT A JOKE! I went to over
a dozen stores and looked through hundreds of gloves.

I soon discovered that gloves go on sale in January when the
shipments come in and the best selection is available. May is
for good sales on what is already left over from the current
year. Add to this that all sporting goods buyers believe that
less than 1% of all players are left handed and 100% need a
glove 12" or larger and you are hard pressed to get something
age appropriate. Finally, not all gloves available for right
hand throws are available for left hand throws. Seems the makers
also feel that left hand throwers only need the larger gloves as
well.

As market conditions have virtually wiped out the mom and pop
sporting goods dealers in my area, box stores that have taken
over have little to no ability to special order anything. If you
do, its full MSRP + shipping + handling, +, +, annoying. The
final selection seemed to have all the credentials, good brand
name, endorsed by the Little League king himself, a little
large, but small enough hand pocket to keep it in place, $60.
Game ready and good pocket.

Within 6 weeks I was tightening up the laces, after 14 weeks,
the outside finger area had broken down. Glove performance was
poor and frustration was gaining speed. My player was loosing
faith in his gloves ability to protect himself from the ball. My
faith in this selection for him was also lost.

Off to the internet. Find a suitable replacement that I don't
need to re-purchase every year. East Bay, Just Gloves and Sports
Diamond dominate the google and yahoo searches. All styles of
the 3 majors (Rawlings, Wilson, Louisville) are there plus some
of the up and comers (Nokoma, SSK, Nike, Reebok, etc ) but how
do you justify a $89 glove to a $350 one.

How does one determine the upper youth model will give more
than 1 season. Back to the internet to search owner comments and
the individual pieces that make up a glove. Steerhide, that's
the ticket. Its generally thicker and denser than the run of the
mill cowhide. The majors only use it in there most premium
gloves. Even the up and comers reserve Steerhide for their top
of the line gear.And when you find ads that tout their special
process is "just like steerhide", well that tells a solid story.


Do I recommend handing a $350+ glove to a 9yr old, no.

Can I justify $120, well, compared to the prospect of spending
$60 each year, if I get 2 years out of $120 it's a break even.
If he can keep it all through high school, then all the better.

Where did I find a steerhide glove that met all my criteria?
http://nw.kelleyusa.com. These guys have just what you need for
the price that is extremely right. They are a small company that
offers direct pricing and distributorship.

Shrewd as I can be, I bought a distributorship and the
mandatory inventory. I rationalized this by the fact I can get
their best stuff at an even better price and at the very worst,
give it away to the players we have in the family. I was very
pleased with all the gloves they sent. Everything delivered as
promised.

The recurring proof for me is when I attend shows and young
teenagers arrive at my table with their Dads and attest "this is
just as good as the (brand x) we have been looking at and half
the price!". That seals it for me. These young players spend
hundreds if not thousands of hours reading, examining, touching
gloves from every source they can find. To see so much
enthusiasm just moments after introduction, it truly re-enforces
my belief in these gloves.

Overall, better gloves solve several problems;

1) they last longer, period!
2) you only have to break them in once.
3) annualized return on dollars spent is greater.
4) you get a lifetime of baseball memories attached to one very
personal glove.

So, is $120 a good price to pay? I say yes!

Copyright 2007 reprinted in whole with permission.


About The Author: Mr. Dowdy is the father of 3 and after
re-entering competitive baseball with his oldest that lead to
frustration of finding suitable glove, he became an Official
Distributor for Kelley Athletic which is available at
http://NW.kelleyusa.com or http://www.hirschgroupllc.com for
more news/tips/articles