Rawlings XPG 26

[duane v]

So whats the consensus on them? I had one when I was a freshman in high school, and I just picked one up on Ebay (Amos Otis) version.

Though my memory is fuzzy because the last time I touched the glove was back in 1978, but I do remember the glove feeling rather stout

[BretMan]

The XPG26 was a "mid-level" glove, slotted right in the middle of the Rawlings line-up of offerings. They retailed for about half what the top-line Heart of the Hides did and about double what their least expensive gloves sold for. That's a pretty good indication that the were good quality gloves. I have one that looks like it was barely used (also an Amos Otis model). It has all-leather trim and feels fairly stiff, but seems quite a bit lighter that similar sized HOH's I've handled. That's likely due to the thinner leather and padding used to keep the cost down.

From a collectabilty standpoint, the earlier models were endorsed by Mickey Mantle and those naturally are more sought after. Not to knock Amos Otis- I was a fan of the Kansas City powerhouse teams of the 70's and Otis was an excellent player. But the reality is that Amos Otis will never carry the same collectible clout as The Mick.

From a usability standpoint, these were probably great gloves for a high school player whose parents were suffering sticker shock from the $70 price tag on a Heart of the Hide model!

[duane v]

From a usability standpoint, these were probably great gloves for a high school player whose parents were suffering sticker shock from the $70 price tag on a Heart of the Hide model!

LOL... Thanks for the speedy response....

My dad when purchasing this glove for me, (and I clearly remember this) told me: "As long as it doesn't have Reggie Jackson's name on it I'll get it for you." lol ..... You should seen the look on my Dads face when we brought home those Reggie Jackson candy bars, boy did my Dad spin a main bearing

It was a Dodgers / Yankees rivalry thing

But you're correct, gloves were quite expensive back then.... I remember my parents forking over some big cash for my Mizuno World Win GIC-4 "The Close" glove back in 1980

[duane v]

The glove came in courtesy of USPS and it's a pretty one for sure.... I took some pictures of her because the Ebay listing pics didn't do the glove justice.