A question about my 1987 Rawlings Pro TF6

[oldreliable]

Hi there,

My gamer for the last twenty years or so has been a USA-made Rawlings Pro TF6. How common was this particular model?

I bought it in 1987 at the Rawlings Glove Outlet in Reading, PA. It is very similar to the model that Ken Griffey, Jr. uses, but I think that mine might be smaller. I think that Griffey uses the 12.75" Pro TB24 or something like that.

Mine is a black HOH glove with black lacing, the fastback and the Trap-EZE web. Maybe it is only about 12". This glove has always been superb at holding its shape and making great catches. I love this glove, but, sadly, two decades of hard use have beaten this glove down. Maybe I'll send it out for some TLC.

Thanks,

John
Ithaca, NY

[Mike_2007]

Not a common model... Post a pic!

[oldreliable]

Hello Mike_2007,

Gosh, if I could only figure out this damaged digital camera. It was dropped on either concrete or ice, I'm not sure which. I'll post pics as soon as I can. Please keep in mind that this glove has gone through absolute wars on the baseball field. It has broken laces, checked leather, onfield mid-game McGyver repairs, and an owner that played like he was on fire.

The fact that it hasn't disintegrated or left me out of spite is to the glove's credit. Even though my obsession is with the USA-made Wilson A2000 gloves, well, if I were to suddenly up and die tomorrow, this is the one that would be with me in the casket. Maybe I'd take an A2000 with me, too.

Thanks,

John

[docglov]

[Hi perhaps your glove is a ProTFB with part of the B missing. Unless the glove is from the orient thats about the only answer. And I can say that because I have been designing and buiding the USA Rawlings since the late 70's. We did make a few of that model around that time in a 12" pattern as MLB was going to try to inforce the 12" but I don't think they ever went on the market[/quote]

[oldreliable]

Hi docglov,

I actually bought the glove at the Rawlings outlet in Reading, PA. It is stamped that it is made in USA. I looked at the model number very closely, and it really does look like an "F" and not a "B." This is why I have always been very curious about it.

Maybe it was a factory second?? The paint which was to say "Gold Glove Series" on the thumb actually wasn't done right and looked like it said "Old Glove Series." Could that be it?

I've wondered over the years if something didn't inadvertently slip out at the Rawlings outlet.

Thanks,
John

[oldreliable]

Hi docglove, you just might be right!

I'm looking at the glove right now, and am having a hard time judging the last digit.

Here are two possibilities as to what it might say:

"PRO TF-6" or "PRO TF-B"

Is there any possibility that a dash would appear between the "TF" and the "B"?

If so, maybe it says "PRO TF-B"

It's so hard to read the stamping at this point. Twenty years have gone by, and this glove has been used hard.

Thank you for your help. I'd actually mail this glove to you with a self-addressed postage-paid box for its return just to see what you think.

I can't post any pics right now.

Thanks,

John

[oldreliable]

I'm beginning to get it.

It might just be an ordinary Rawlings "PRO TF" and is designated as "PRO TF-B" because it is black.

There is also a code on the thumb which reads "HBB01" and this is quite easy to read. Maybe this is just a common glove afterall. I've just never been sure or played with or against anyone with this glove, so I thought that it might be unusual. Probably not.

What do you think?

Thank you,

John