I'm a new glover... only have been active for a couple months now. I have had fun learning and starting a small collection. I seem to have the uncanny ability of always being the under-bidder on Ebay for gloves I really want. That is what brings me to this post. Once again I was the under-bidder... this time for a Wilson 350 "Hugh Poland" catcher's mitt. It was not listed in the Pocket Guide or Baseball Glove Finder. That made it very tempting, but I was really hooked after I read his bio on Wikipedia. Basically, after languishing for 13 years in the minor leagues he finally got called up during WWII to go on to play a grand total of 83 games over a five year period "batting a meek .185 / 0 HR / 19 RBI." He played primarily with the Boston Braves (how fitting). I hope the Wilson marketing guy who made this call got sacked. It is hard to believe they didn't have a better reservoir of endorsements to choose from.
So... the question is... Is Hugh Poland the worst, or are their contenders for the most mediocre glove endorsement? Runners up welcome. I would love to hear some opinions! This could be fun.
To the winner (who I would bet is a forum member) I am exceedingly jealous. In my next life I will be a Wall Street banker and win every auction
Also, please post a photo once she has been rehabbed. I would love to see how well the markings were remedied.
Wikipedia Excerpt Below:
"Poland's baseball career began in the St. Louis Cardinals' far-flung farm system of the 1930s. He eventually reached the highest minor-league level (then Double-A), but his Major League Baseball debut did not occur until 1943, when at age 33 Poland appeared in a New York Giants uniform on April 22. He was traded five days and four games later to the Boston Braves, with infielder Connie Ryan, in exchange for future Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Ernie Lombardi. But, unlike Lombardi, Poland was exclusively a reserve catcher during his MLB career. He appeared in all or parts of five seasons (1943–44; 1946–48), for the Giants, Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds, batting a meek .185 with no home runs and 19 runs batted in in 83 games played."