Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

Watched movie "Open Range" with Kevin Costner last evening.
Was it a coincidence Costner's character had a name of a "famous" baseball person. Had something to do with baseball gloves. Costner's been in a few baseball flicks.
Any guesses? Be something if they picked the name that way.

Hi Joe,

It was Charlie Waite but what was the glove connection? I missed it.

JD

Charles Waite was the guy Al Spalding hammered for wearing the first glove on the field (non catcher- catchers had been wearing gloves for years). The anecdotal story revolved around Spalding pointing out that
Waite took to the field (first base?) wearing a flesh colored glove, gloves
in that portion of the field being considered sissy. Spalding later wore a black glove on the field but it was ok because he was such a hero.
Wondered if Costner had anything to do with his character's name or it was written in the original novel. Kev directed the movie. Coulda been intentional or coincidental.

Of course! I didn't even think about that Charlie Waite when you said glove connection. I was thinking of a manufacturer like C&W or C&S and came up blank. There's only like a million references to Charlie Waite in the Glove Library. I'm slippin'.

Good topic Joe. I would like to think that Costner is such a big baseball fan that this may not have been coincidental. I have seen him play at Celebrity baseball games at Dodger Stadium. Whether you like him or not as an actor, you can't dislike his baseball movies.

JD