Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

Well, they can't all be NM, especially if they're in my collection. This is my favorite "well played" glove. I can't bring myself to call it a beater because it is a classic. It makes me wonder if it was passed down from generation to generation until the last kid said "Hey, I want a glove with a leather web and snap action heel like the other kids!" Or if it was used by somebody who played in a semi-pro league for a long, long time. Anyway, I like to play catch with it when I can talk my daughter or her boyfriend into a game. The leather is surprisingly supple even with all the surface cracking, and I patched the liner to make it serviceable. Nicest thing is that I don't have to worry about wearing down the stampings 'cuz those are long gone. Anyone else have a favorite well played glove?

That's cool Greg. I think I may be in the minority here, but I don't play catch with the old gloves. I may toss or lightly throw a ball into a split finger every now and then but I refrain from playing catch with anyone with these gloves. I know I''d be checking it for dings, cracks, and breaks everytime I caught the ball. That in itself is not entertaining to me (the catch and check catch and check process) and I cringe at the thought. Such a worry wart! Yes, I'd do the same for a beater.

I probably would worry about it if any of us had a Major League arm, but we mostly just lob the ball. And we use one of those softer baseballs. I wouldn't think of using my nicer Bill Doak because I'd worry about the stampings. But after all, that's what they were made for to begin with, and it is fun (and challenging) to play catch with it.