For baseball and softball players both amateur and professional one of the most important things to have are batting gloves. This piece of equipment has been around for a very long time and continues to be worn by all baseball and softball enthusiasts around the world.
The batting glove came about in the early 1960’s. It was former major league player Ken “Hawk” Harrelson who introduced its use to the world of baseball. Having discovered a blister in his left hand right before playing he decided to use his golf glove to protect his hand. It worked well for him and soon after other players followed suit. Throughout the 1960’s the trend of using just one glove became very popular among a lot of baseball players. However, things started to change in the 1970’s when Mets slugger Rusty Staub was spotted wearing two gloves during a game. First baseman Albert Spalding was credited for influencing more infielders to use batting gloves. Soon after retiring from the game he founded his own sporting goods company called Spalding which was one of the first to manufacture batting gloves among other sports equipment.
The earliest baseball batting gloves were made of leather and had fingertips that are cut off. This was done purposely so that players get to have the same control as when they use their bare hands but with the added comfort and cushion of layer of padding. In 1920, popular baseball player Bill Doak of the St. Louis Cardinals had the idea that a web should be placed in between the first finger and the thumb thus creating a pocket to aid in better handling. This design eventually became the standard for all batting gloves.
Through the years the standard size of the glove grew larger in order to make catching of the ball easier. A player will typically catch the ball in the webbing of the glove and use his other hand to prevent it from falling out. Manufacturers use the term “Right-Hand Throw” for the glove that is worn on the left hand. Up to this day there are many technological advancements made for the batting glove. One popular sporting goods company called Easton claims to experiment with material such as leather and Kevlar to create an extremely light-weight glove. Players both amateur and professional need to invest in high quality gloves that are made of heavy leather. Gloves will need some time to break in to get that perfectly snug and comfortable fit.
There are different types of batting gloves available for different positions in a team. The catcher’s mitt does not have individual fingers but is built with extra padding to cushion the player’s hand as he receives a ball coming towards him at 90 miles per hour. Other types of gloves include the first baseman’s mitt, the infielders’ gloves, the pitchers’ gloves, the outfielder’s gloves and the switch-thrower’s gloves.
When buying batting gloves for yourself whether it is for recreation or for professional use there are several trusted brands that you should consider. You should check out Spalding, Slugger, Rawlings, Wilson, Mizuno and Nike. The most important thing to consider is the fit and the quality of batting gloves so that you get your money’s worth so that it will last you many years of use.