The Finest in the Field

[Rickybulldog]

Post your favorite Rawlings gloves.

Here's my lone Rawlings glove for now. It's one of my favorite models The Stan Musial PM supreme. Probably the best one I've owned. I'm still looking for a pliable original doak.

[mikesglove]

This was my first Rawlings in 1990 when my collection was a couple of beat up garage sale import gloves. Also my first trade. I still have this one and it is one of my favorites. In the small town I live in, there was another avid glove collector besides me in 1990. We would try to outdo one another at the weekend garage sales and he was fiendishly skilled. As I would be pulling up he would be leaving holding up gloves against his car window as he drove by me. I did end up trading him for the "Mantle" below which was a huge step up in my collection.

[mikesglove]

Years ago while coaching little league, I used a "World Win" Mizuno at parctice. it was a nice fielding glove. Every so often I would bring out the MMP because it was the best playing glove I ever owned.

[okdoak]

I like the Mort Cooper MC alot. It's a big glove with those flattened fingers curved to trap the ball. You can really see the beginning of the evolution toward the style of the XPG and Wilson A2000 types of gloves. They were really popular with the pro's of the time, too. Warren Spahn and John Sain are wearing them in that iconic "pray for rain" photo. The earlier ones had the great cloud patch, too.



Rawlings had other terrific patches in the late 40's early 50's. The Playmaker one was very cool, too.



I'm probably in the minority, but I like the later Bill Doaks more than the Originals. Maybe it's the I-web.



As far as an impossible wish list glove goes, this one has it all. Mr. Mitt's incredible Rawlings duck web from http://www.baseballglovecollector.com.

[okdoak]

I can tell that the Forum is clamoring for more Rawlings gloves. So here you go.

The KK was another glove that the pro's liked in the 1940s:




The only military issue glove I own:


One from the ebay bargain bin that I thought would clean up better than it did. I was swayed by the long fingers, nice patch, and some readable stampings. Unfortunately I was no match for the staining and deteriorated leather in the pocket. It's a mid liner that shows up in their 1922 catalog as the College Special.

[Rickybulldog]

I can tell that the Forum is clamoring for more Rawlings gloves. So here you go.

I, for one, am enjoying the photos and gloves we are seeing. Even if it's a second time around, I still like looking at them and not having to search on old topics. Besides, some of the new people can enjoy them as well.

BTW Greg, you and I need to talk. There are a few gloves I'd like to possibly work something out if possible. Does the Marion glove have a button? I owned one that someone sewed the strap on and I don't remember who I sold or traded it to.

[okdoak]

Hey Ricky,
There was no button on my Marty Marion. Someone had put a lace thru to hold the wrist strap in place. I picked it up on ebay a few years ago. Let's talk the gloves sometime. As long as you're not after my "you'll have to pry it from my cold, dying fingers" gloves.

[vintagebrett]

Here are a couple I own:

[mikesglove]

I like the short finger "Doak" model anyway and this one with the buckle back is really something.

[mikesglove]

Great looking 1950's mint MM4 and picture box recently on ebay

[mikesglove]

Near mint 1940's Rawlings "Bill Doak" model 5BD-B glove. Love the tan piping and orange stitching against the black leather. It's an early H-web model with a pristine cloth patch

[mikesglove]

Before the 1950's Rawlings Mickey Mantle model MM and the Martin Marion Wartime model MM was the Merill May model MM of 1941. It would be hard to find a nicer example than the one below. The Nolte/Latina "patented applied for" adjustable pocket lacing is unique and looks just great as does the H-web and perfect Rawlings patch.

[mikesglove]

Another Rawlings "Merrill May" glove, this time a G480 model. It has an interesting wrist strap and button over a V-notch wrist opening. For whatever reason, an elusive style by Rawlings in the '40's. Nice pinky tunnel lacing. This glove has seen some use but still pretty cool.

[mikesglove]

Picked this one up recently and showing some before and after photos. Its a Rawlings "The Improved Bill Doak" model H. What it really had going for it was two great cloth patches, no loose seams and all intact. It even had the added finger lacing of a ball player wishing to upgrade his glove. To me it had a cool home made/folk art look. I thought I could handle the dirt and grime pretty easily but it was on there like an exo-skeleton keeping the glove somewhat rigid. The major lament of glovers with the Doak glove is its stiffness. Rawlings used some stout leather. I used the pumice hand cleaner and it was a major effort. That pumice didn't deteriorate the actual leather and eventually the grime came off. The glove almost immediately softened up so that was a nice reward. The markings are still good, even "Deep Well Model" in the center of the pocket. My daughter made up this hand lotion for me from beeswax, shea butter, orange essential oil and avocado oil. it turned out to be some of the best stuff I've used on leather, far better than Vaseline. it makes the leather glow.

[theglovester]

Great Doak and unique finger rigging! You did great cleaning up the old girl. Thanks for posting this model. I recently got the same glove off ebay for a whopping $19, BUT mine had over 7 inches of busted seams. The thumb was more off than on!! But everything was there and after a few hours of glove bonding, I had it sewn all back together through the original holes. Makes the glove a keeper for me as I feel like I sewed the thing up originally and poked around in it's innerds. I have an early early Doak and wanted a later model on the cheap with both patches like yours. Maybe a buckle back Doak sometime down the road. Hey glovers, mine is identical to this one, no thumb seam reinforcement and cloud patch, since they made these for 4 decades can a Rawlings guru date this exact model?
Thanks again to those that helped me 15-20 years ago get my Rawlings collection where it is currently, still got em, just need to add some Pepper.