Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

Hi everyone--

I've read and re-read the threads in this forum, and I have to say I'm very happy I found it.

I'm 28 now and still enjoy the occasional game of catch with my Dad. The last glove I got was when I was 11 and was still in little league. It's just a *little* small for my comfort now, but up until recently I've just sucked it up and continued on.

It's a Rawlings Dale Murphy model (RBG 36) and I'll always have it and treasure it. To that end, I'm reluctant to make the one improvement I feel it really needs-- padding. Without fail, one or more of Dad's knuckle balls always finds its way to that one spot in the palm rather than the pocket and stings my hand. That said, this glove has such sentimental value that I don't really want to do anything to it other than make sure I've still got it if I'm ever fortunate enough to have a son.

So, I've read the posts here and found the different sites to have a Rawlings glove custom made. While there may be other glove makers out there, I grew up on a Rawlings and would like to stick with them. The glove I want to get will be one that I will use the rest of my life, so I'm debating between a Heart of the Hide and a Pro Preferred.

If I'm reading things right here, the general belief is that the Heart of the Hide are more durable over time but a little harder to break in than the Pro Preferred-- please correct me if I'm wrong. To that end, I'm leaning towards a USA made Heart of the Hide model from Eastbay.

My question is this-- from reading here, I'm gathering that the padding I wish my current Rawlings had is unavailable as of yet in the USA made Heart of the Hide models. If this is so, is it taboo to have it added to a brand new glove? If not, and if this is not an inappropriate question to ask, would the forum have a recommendation as to whom would be a great person/company to add the padding? I've never worked on gloves before, so I wouldn't feel comfortable undertaking the operation myself.

Also, oddly, I'm only a slightly larger person now than I was in little league-- I was only 4'5" and 62 lbs (according to the "baseball card" from when I was 11 and got this glove as a pitcher/right fielder. I'm 5'5" now and around 110 lbs, so I'm still not a huge person. I add this information to ask if there is a particular length glove that is more suited to someone of my frame. My Dale Murphy model is, I guess, around 11.75" or so. Of course, the major league rules say the glove can't be over 12", but every glove I see in the stores is 12.5 or 13". These are uncomfortable for me because they are a little too large and unweildly, but I've yet to find any chart of suggested sizes.

Sorry for the lengthy post. I really appreciate any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions anyone here may have. Like Dad always says, "You don't know 'til you ask...," so I figured that's what I'd do.

John

hi john,

if you get a USA hoh from eastbay, you will not ever need another glove. that being said, all new rawlings come with the option to get a palm pad, however they usually have a good amount of padding anyway. Getting one would be the right choice and it would last you a lifetime

Dale Murphy Rules!

I have two Dale Murphy OR520 models that are virtually identical to the RBG36 models. I have gathered here that the OR520 was made for a specific department store chain, or some such reason for the unique numbering.

I love those gloves, but like you, I had wished there was more padding in the palm at the base of the fingers. So, I customized one of them, adding chocolate brown laces and padding in the palm. It was much easier than I had thought it would be, though I moved slowly and carefully. The padding material I used? An old tennis shoe insole. Works great!

BUT ... I would not do that to an original glove that I wanted to preserve. Neither of the gloves originally had any sentimental value to me, so I was not too awfully afraid of "tearing into" one of them. So, I am NOT advocating that you take it upon yourself to add padding to your own glove. I'm just sayin' ....

No worries-- I will never attempt to add any padding to this glove. I'm even getting a little reluctant to play with it for fear that where my Dad wrote my name and address on it is starting to wear off a little...

Looks like it's a Heart of the Hide from Eastbay. I looked all over the site trying to find the option to add the padding to the palm, but couldn't find it... maybe I'm not looking in the right place?

Thank you to everyone for responding... I really appreciate it! When I order the Heart of the Hide glove, rest assured that ya'll will be seeing pictures upon arrival.

John

The usa eastbay does not offer a palm pad But the HOH from the import line does, both are on eastbay you just have to poke around until you find the features you want. don't be afraid of either line. good luck.

Docglov

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum!

You might be surprised to know that for most gloves- the RBG36 included- there really isn't any padding to speak of in the palm area. All that is there is the thickness of the leather in the outer shell and the leather in the inside palm area. And that's it. No extra padding beyond whatever protection you get from the thickness of the leather.

A lot of people send me gloves to fix with the complaint that the "padding is worn out in the palm". What seems to happen is that as the glove is used over time, the ball repeatedly hitting that area tends to stretch the leather and thin it out. So, whatever protection was there to start with becomes even less protective.

Bone bruises to the base of your index finger aren't fun!

I like the "palm pad" option that Rawlings offers on some of their gloves, and the similar "shock pad" or "gel pad" other glove makers offer. They really take out the sting of those hard hit balls that smack the pocket.

Rawlings does sell an adhesive-backed gel pad that is contoured to fit the inner lining in the palm area. If you search around the internet, you can even find a leather adhesive pad for the same purpose, sold by The Glove Doctor.

I get enough people asking about palm padding that a few years ago I began offering this as part of my glove repair services. I open up the glove to get to the interior, then cut a custom-fit pad that covers the palm area. The glove is then laced back together to hold the new pad in place.

The feedback I get from players is that most seem to love the new padding- especially catchers, where the hand can really take a pounding. You can find some more information about the cost for having this added at my web site (see link below).

Thank you very much for the info regarding the palm pad. I see on the website that the palm pad is an option for the imported Heart of the Hide models, but I am determined to have mine made in the USA. Is adding a palm pad something you would consider doing on a new glove or is this something I should wait a while on-- you know, try it out and see if I think I really need it? I don't know if there is a warranty of any kind with the Heart of the Hide models (not that I would need it as my old Rawlings has lasted so long), but I know that if I tinker around too much with a new guitar I can very easily void the warranty. Of course, this isn't going to be a shelf glove, so a palm pad and having my Dad write my name on it like he did my old Rawlings would make it complete.

camel color you may want a pad soon its nice and soft. black is harder and I could put a hoh lining for protection but would increase break in time and life span by quite a bit. would have to let me know if you order black so I can catch it to change lining. Doc

BretMan,
"Bone bruises to the base of your index finger aren't fun!" You are soooooooooooo right about that. Had a bad experience in my 1st year in LL as a 10 yr old catcher. One of our pitchers threw what today would be called a "heavy ball". Pitch after pitch after pitch would pound that area, no matter what I tried. After two or three innings of that, there would be a raised lump about an inch high in that spot and I would be in tears. Man did that hurt! Today's catcher's mitts are so much better. Just my two cents.

br

Hey John
I might be showing my age but when was catching a hard throwing pitcher I would put a dense sponge pad that I cut out of a larger pad inside my glove and that eliminates all the opening up the new glove and adding extra padding, they also sell now a pad called Shock Stop that goes on your hand and velcro's around your wrist to pad your glove. Also you should check out Don Mortons web site they have many, many gloves of all ranges (I have no affiliations with them, just bought from them). Any way good luck in your quest. Ralph

To me the best solution is to buy a Palm Gard Brand batting glove... it is not really a batting glove, but has significant padding on the index and middle finger.... wearing this also will reduce the wear to the inside of your glove.