The Rawlings Definition

[wareagle34]

In 1965 Rawlings came up with their own definition of a baseball glove. They titled it What Is A Baseball Glove. For awhile they placed this definition on the side of their glove boxes. This definition in time faded away and was lost along with the boxes they were printed on. Through the years I have seen the definition paraphrased in different articles and seen it in pictures of the boxes in peoples collections but never seen it reprinted in its entirety. This doesn't mean that it has not been reprinted, and I'm sure that alot of you out there know the definition and I am sure that you have a copy close by. But for the guys out there who are new to the hobby and are having trouble with their wives, their checkbooks and are basically spending all their spare time thinking about gloves; this five paragraph definition will go along way in explaining the WHY.
I'm sure there are other definitons out there, and everyone has their on reasons why, but I believe that back in 1965 the people at Rawlings truely loved their craft. And one day they believed that there would become a grass roots effort to save their gloves; an appreciation of the past, the history, the craftsmanship and love that went into making, owning and using the baseball glove. They knew that the group of people who started this effort would need an explanation to help them understand why it is important and so they came up with the Rawlings definition.

[wareagle34]

What Is A Baseball Glove?

A baseball glove is a beginning and an ending: a boy's first sure
step towards manhood; a man's final lingering hold on youth;
it is promise . . . and memory.

A baseball glove is the dusty badge of belonging, the tanned
and oiled mortar of team and camaraderie; in its creases and
scuffs lodge sunburned afternoons freckled with thrills, the
excited hum of competition, cheers that burst like skyrockets.

A baseball glove is a thousand-and-one names and moments
strung like white and crimson banners in the vast stadium
of memory.

A baseball glove is the leather of adventure, worthy successor
to the cowboy's holster, the troopers saddle and the buckskin
laces of the frontier scout; it is combat, heroics, and victory . . .
a place to smack a fist or snuff a rally.

Above all, a baseball glove is the union of father and son, boy
and friends, man and men; it is union beyond language, creed or color.

The Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, 1965

[Moonlight Graham]

Thank you so much for the definition! That is really poetry to me.

Is there any way you could scan the box itself or the original document on which you found the text to offer the whole glove collecting community?

I teach English here in France and we're now studying the basic rules of baseball in class (you'd be surprised how much you can learn that way). I intended to bring one of my gloves to show the pupils and maybe allow them to put it on (I haven't decided yet. ) and pound a fist or a baseball into it. As you probably know, baseball isn't a major sport here. So I get the chance to introduce them to a brand new world, to open a window to the past and history of the USA. Baseball is a great subject for that.

So now back to that kind of document, it's first-hand information as we put it here and I'd really appreciate to have a copy or facsimile if possible. The text itself is good, but just a glimpse of what it looked like when it was printed back in the 1960s adds some more value to it.

And to all of you out there, if you ever stumble upon something of the sort, I'd be really grateful if you could paste it here somewhere in the forum or email it to me.

Wow, I love this forum !

[crackofthebat]

I have the original box panel which I keep under glass on my desk. I don't have a way of scanning it, but I could take a picture of it and have my son post it on the forum if that would help you. I use to give a copy of it to all my Little League players when I was a coach.

[MVALZ]

...also printed on the inside cover of their late 60s catalogs.

[stockbuddy]

That was very poetic and carries a lot of meaning and truth. Thanks for sharing.

Dave

[softball66]

I ran across this box panel statement for the first time when I'd purchased a Rawlings Tom Seaver XFB17 with the tribute printed on the back of its box. (I have an image of this if someone wants me to email it to them).
It certainly presents the glove in a more meaningful light and I've used parts of it in various columns I've written along with some other pungent glove quotations.
Just recently I picked up a beat and battered A2400 Wilson catchers mitt. Someone had repeatedly sewn over the pocket for repairs but I could tell from close examination, that someone cherished this mitt enough to take TLC care and treatment with it, trying to make it last longer than maybe it was intended to. Lots of people would have passed on the mitt as just a clunky piece of discarded leather. But you have to see and go beyond that to appreciate the many innings that this faithful mitt served his owner. Yes, it's a form of love.

[wareagle34]

When I first read this definition it helped me to understand this strange obsession that we all have with finding the neglected or forgotten mitt, and by putting it on your hand how it somehow transports you to a different time and place. It's like the glove has a story to tell and by cleaning and conditioning it comes back to life and is ready to tell it's
history starting with the name of the kid who was the first to love it many years ago and wrote his name on the thumb or strap to make his own.

The definition has also helped my wife to understand why her crazy husband has placed old gloves on shelves, in cabinets and on the walls of HIS room, and then spends hours sitting in the room relaxing with his relics, listening to their stories.

I have my box panel framed in a 8x10 over the light switch to my baseball room, and is required reading for anyone entering who just doesn't get it. It's the first thing you see when you turn on the light, and it 's the perfect explanation for my friends and family why I'm the way I am.

Moonlight if you would like a copy of the definition I will gladly mail you a color copy you can frame. It has a nice color graphic above the heading of what I believe to be a father and his son talking baseball.
Good luck with your wife and students.

email me at: stewartfamily6@juno.com with your address


WAR EAGLE!

[jackwhale]

Moonlight: Definitely let the kids put their hand in one of your gloves...Bring the most eye popping one. Get them really excited. Set up some bases and have them race around. After all, you're our French ambassador for American baseball.

[worldwin]

I totally agree with jackwhale.

For me, the real joy and excitement comes from putting the glove on, and smacking my fist into it, and using it. Remember gloves are made to be used.

Oh sure, looking at gloves is ok...but it certainly doesn't compare to the feel of putting one on and catching a ball with it.

Also, bring out a bat and ball and let them feel what it is like to smack one.

If that doesn't get them hooked on baseball then probably nothing will!

[Moonlight Graham]

Well, thanks everyone. Now I feel I have all the backup I need to set up my baseball club ! Because now actually that's what I'm thinking about. We first worked in class on a very short film starring Babe Ruth, the one with the Arithmetic Lesson, you might have seen it already. If not, check it out on You Tube. Then I found a comic about the rules of Tee Ball and I chose the most interesting panels and had the kid found all the vocabulary and first rules. Now we're trying to rephrase all that and learn new stuff as far as speaking English is concerned. But throughout all these activities, which to be honest I chose because I love baseball, I've seen some of the kids getting really curious and asking questions about that aspect of the game or this other one. And as our boss has found some money to finance new projects, I'm definitely on the idea of setting up my own ball club inside the school. You might not care about that but I feel so excited that I had to tell someone (I actually made up my mind on the idea yesterday) and I know that some of you out there will understand me.

So I'll do as you told me. I'll let the kids put the glove on and I'll invite them out in the playground to try and hit a ball. We own three horrible plastic baseball gloves (one from Franklin, the other two from some unknown first price Chinese brand I don't know) and a few softballs. I'll bring a bat and a couple of baseballs and I think that will do the trick.

By the way, if one of you lay his hands on a bunch of old leather gloves that might be used to teach your culture to my kids, I might be interested!
And, I don't know if it's the right place to do that, but if you have interesting documents, old ads like the Rawlings definition, comics, pictures, or references of something that might help me hook the kids' attention on baseball I'd be delighted !

And just so you know War Eagle, my wife has no problem with my passion for baseball. On the contrary I think she finds me healthier than most football freaks we have around here. But she may sound a little afraid at times I might spend a little too much on old battered gloves from the other side of the Atlantic.

I'll translate the Rawlings definition for her and I think that will settle the thing for good. I'm definitely sending you an email to get a nice copy of it.

Thanks again everyone !

[MVALZ]

I coach a team of 13-15 year olds and bring a different vintage glove to each practice. I bring them because I like to play catch and warm up with them. They look forward to seeing what I'll bring next and beg to try them out. Of course the split fingers are most popular. Little do they know I'm really teaching them to catch with two hands.

[wareagle34]

Moonlight, how old are the kids and how many of them are you talking about. I have a few kids gloves that I can send along with a few other surprises when I send you the definition. Wish you lots of luck with your project, and I'm sure your probably going to get everything you need from this group of guys here at the forum.



WAR EAGLE!

[Cowboy7130]

Moonlight, great ideas! I often use baseball stories and films to teach English to my English class. Some of the stories are good literature AND good film ... The Natural by Bernard Malamud is one of the best!

I teach at a disciplinary alternative school, where they send the knuckleheads who have done something deemed worthy of removal from their regular schools. Of course, some of these kids are TOUGH to reach, but last spring I brought some gloves and balls out to PE, and before you know it, they were laughing and smiling, relating to me and to each other in a way that had not happened before. BASEBALL WORKS!

[spedrunr]

i give math quizzes every friday and relace gloves in the back of the class, the kids think i'm nuts.

"....teacher, when are we ever going to use spelling and english in our lives?....."

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