Rawlings Pro12tc

[spedrunr]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eEkbcoF6z2o

thanks for bringing it back Ozzie

[softball66]

Now that's the way to use a ball glove. They should have called it the Trapoz or the Pro 12 OS. Great story how Ossie made Rawlings re-discover the Trapeze glove. Rawlings had dropped it from its line in the late 1960s when it went to XPG series. Ossie had gotten an old TG12 I believe in Junior High and used it while Rawlings cut some patterns to replace it then decided, hey, this is a workable glove. And today!........

[spedrunr]

hey joe, does the TC in pro12tc stand for "Trapeze Conventional" back?

[glove-works]

Suer does....some seem to think it stands for Too Cool though

[BretMan]

Has anyone ever had a chance to try on one of these...

Sandlot Trap-Eze

[Bleacher Bum]

I have not tried one on, but I am heading to a local glove dealer today to look at getting a new softball glove for the upcoming season. I am seriously considering a Nokona Kangaroo/Buckskin combo but am leaving my options open until I can try a few on. I will see if they have any of these to try on and post something later tonight/early tomorrow. I have a soft spot for the Trap-eze gloves as well...

[Bleacher Bum]

Went over during my lunch hour and took a look at the Rawlings Sandlot trap-eze. Not real impressed. Has the older look to it but was really stiff and didn't come close to the quality leather in some of the early Trap-eze models (only thing for me to compare) such as a TG36 from the 60s. I was rather disappointed with the quality, however it is a lower-end model.

Ended up with the Nokona AMG-650K!! What hunk of leather!!! Can't wait to get out and start using it...that is if we can ever stop getting rained on, sleated on, hailed on, or snowed on here in Iowa. Come on Spring!!!

[JC]

Has anyone ever had a chance to try on one of these...

Sandlot Trap-Eze

I checked out the Sandlot glove at a store a while back.

The leather is bone dry and really rough feeling.

The glove was very floppy. I would compare it to the Rawlings Signature Series gloves.

The glove definietly looks nice, but I do not think it would hold up very well.

[wjr953]

When I coached LL many years ago, a Dad of one of the kids on my team was telling me about Nokona gloves. I had never heard of a Nokona and he just went on and on and on about his glove. I always said that if I ever got a chance, I'd look into buying one for myself. When I ever found out how much they cost, I almost fainted. Even though they are expensive, I saw some absolutely beautiful gloves under the Nokona label. Fast forward to Christmas/2006, and lo and behold my loving wife surprised me with a Nokona AMG1250. My God, what an absolutely gorgeous piece of leather and just an extraordinary example of good old fashioned American craftsmanship. I put that glove on my hand that day, and I honestly didn't want to ever take it off. The leather just molds to your hand as soon it warms up and I have never, ever felt anything like the feel of that glove on my hand. I absolutely cherish that glove as one of my most valuable possessions. If you don't own a Nokona, you are missing out on one of the exquisitely rare treats that this life has to offer. Good luck with your new AMG650, I know you're going to love it as much as I love my AMG1250. When all is said and done, Nokona is the ONLY company in the USA that makes gloves for the "Great American Pasttime", imagine that. If there's a better baseball glove than Nokona made on this planet, I would like to know what it is.

br

[spedrunr]

i've owned about a 1/2 dozen nokonas, mostly the kangaroo models. i find that they become floppy after awhile and hard to control when the ball hits the upper pocket and web area. I guess i like a glove with a pliable pocket but firm fingers. (USA HOH's, some USA A2000's)

to each his own i guess

[wjr953]

I'm really very surprised to hear that. I picked up a real old Nokona "Don Mossi" glove a couple of weeks ago on Ebay and after relacing it, I have to tell you that it seemed like a really solid well-made glove. It has to be at least 40 years old, maybe more. I was originally going to put it up for sale on Ebay, but after I saw the way it came out and how it felt on my hand, I decided to hold onto it for a while. I may decide to keep it when all is said and done, but we'll see. To be honest with you, yours is the very first complaint that I have ever heard about a Nokona glove. Thanks for your input.

br

[softball66]

well, as most of you guys know I'm square one Nocona. Worked with the folks there for 31 years. Problems with the Kangy as they were well aware of, even though the tensile strength is stronger than equal weight cowhide, it stretches. Therefore the floppiness can develop in the longer gloves and to a degree in the shorter versions. In fact Nocona addressed this with the bigger gloves giving them a cowhide front and kangaroo back. I've been using an AMG400K for 15 years and it's not developed much of a floppy feeling. I've made sure I've changed out the lacing with heavier lacing to brace it.
The Nocona folks take great price in their leather and workmanship. They know as much if not more about glove leather than anyone in the country. I bought one of the first Nokona Kangaroos in 1957 and loved it, lost it in the service and lamented the loss. I'm breaking in a an AMG600 Buffalo right now. Now this is the old time leather. A little spongy though or maybe that's just me.

[wjr953]

There you go. What you just said, more or less, is what I have heard from the handful of Nokona Glove owners I've known over the years. They all absolutely swear by their Nokona and now I count myself as one of those people. I never had any idea I could be that impressed with a baseball glove, but it really is a thing of beauty. I'm still breaking in my new AMG1250 glove, and I am enjoying every moment. I love the feeling of this glove on my hand.

br

[Bleacher Bum]

. My God, what an absolutely gorgeous piece of leather and just an extraordinary example of good old fashioned American craftsmanship. I put that glove on my hand that day, and I honestly didn't want to ever take it off. The leather just molds to your hand as soon it warms up and I have never, ever felt anything like the feel of that glove on my hand. I absolutely cherish that glove as one of my most valuable possessions. If you don't own a Nokona, you are missing out on one of the exquisitely rare treats that this life has to offer. Good luck with your new AMG650, I know you're going to love it as much as I love my AMG1250.

br

I must say that I can relate to what wjr953 says here. I couldn't wait to get home last evening to wear it around. We were getting snow and 50 mph winds and I was chomping at the bit to go out and use the darn thing. Bless my 8 year old son, he wanted to go out in the garage and play catch with me (the garage is not insulated yet and was probably 15 degrees out there ).

I have a few Nokona oldies I am holding on to and absolutely love. I sold a few that I had picked up, but kept some of my favorites. Of all of the gloves I have put on my hand, nothing feels like a Nokona.

I hope to visit the factory and future museum sometime in the coming years. As a graduate student getting ready to finish my degree in Organizational Leadership, I respect the way the the Storey family has stuck with what makes them unique and are loyal to their employees. I would love to meet Rob if I were able to come down. Joe, you can pull some strings, right??? We can tell him it is to discuss his leadership style to further my education...

[mudman]

When Ozzie was at short and Keith Hernadez was at first, with the Cards. In my humble opinion, they had the best two defensive players at those positions ever to play the game.