by Turning643s » April 4th, 2008, 4:01 pm
I know most of you who grew up with the old USA A2's love them more, but my first serious glove was an early 90's Japan A2000 XLC. I never had the chance to slip on a good old, made in the USA version, but still, mine is FANTASTIC. I think the leather is great! This is kind of how and why I got mine. I was a huge Greg Maddux and Cal Ripken fan back in the early 90's and I wanted to use their gloves. Greg used the A2 and Ripken the HOH Rawlings Pro. My dad, who always wanted an A2000 when he was a kid, surprised me my first Christmas after my first season in little league with a brand new A2. I played a lot more middle infield back then, so I saved up my own money to by a Rawlings HOH, but I still used the A2 for outfield and when I pitched. Man back then that A2000 seemed to be a monster when I slid it on my hand. Then when I made the High School team, I ended up pitching a lot more than playing up the middle, so my A2 once again became my go to glove. Now I play softball and the A2 is my one and only gamer at this point, it's the only glove I pull out to get the job done. That thing eats up softballs, much like it ate up baseballs. I have taken great care of my glove over the years and still have not had to make one single repair to it, just good cleaning and making sure no one else ever tries to use it. That thing is an exact mold of my left hand. So, all I can say is, even when they were making them overseas, they were still amazing gloves that will last a lifetime when cared for. If the Japan A2's were considered a lower grade, I can't even imagine the USA version's, they must be absolute treasures!