Conference school::sports_memorabilia

633.0. "Glove Collecting" by NWD002::TUTAK_PE (Rickenbackerhacker) Tue Feb 08 1994 02:00

    
    I did a search on this subject nad didn't find a match...so
    I'm going to put a note in here and see of anyone responds to this
    rather little-known (little-enjoyed ?) aspect of sports collecting...
    baseball gloves.
    
    Although I collect primarily autographs/photos/memorabilia from
    pre-1966 major and minor league baseball, I have also gotten interested
    in collecting older baseball gloves--from anytime up until the early
    60s. I've acquired them from a number of sources...junk shops, antique 
    stores, garage sales...the oldest being a Rawlings pancake mitt (a
    fielder's mitt that looks like a first baseman's glove) from about
    1905, to Spalding Roger Maris autograph model that dates to about 1965.
    
    The variations in design are amazing, and it's interesting to see how
    the designs developed over the years. And it's also quite interesting
    to see how a glove, with years of caked on dirt/grime/crud can be
    cleaned and made to look great again. Lots of gloves from the 30s and
    40s were made from a reddish-brown leather that almost glows when its
    refurbished. After about an hour of cleaning and revitalizing the
    leather (and you'd be surprised how just a little bit of moisture
    brings these things back to life), I'll put it in my bat bag and take
    it to practice and take infield or play pepper using it. It's almost
    like a ritual. 
    
    I've got about 50 in my collection, and when I travel, I always check
    out the shops to see what's around. The only drawback to me is that they 
    take up a lot of room in the closet. 
    
    There were a lot more manufacturers in the past than there are now, and
    they were all made in the U.S.. Some of them, like Rawlings, Spalding
    and Nokona are still in business. The Nokona is probably my favorite.
    The worksmanship is beautiful (and they still are).
    
    So--am I the only one who enjoys this somewhat off-beat aspect of
    sports collecting ?  
    
    Peter

	Peter,

	    My son was given an old glove, flat as a pancake with no webbing
	between any of the fingers. Only a connection between the thumb and
	index finger.  Any idea as to what we have?  It's in incredible shape
	and I can read some of the lettering.  We collect football cards, but
	the glove adds a nice touch to his Dallas Cowboy shrine (Emmitt's his
	man as he likes to say).  Anyway, just curious.

							Hank

    
    Hank...
    
    Send me mail or respond to this note with what the lettering says, and
    where it says it. With some of that info, I can probably tell you a lot
    more about it.
    
    Peter

    Hi Peter, 
    
      This is a late response to your note and I don't collect 
    baseball golves but I did want to tell you that I think it's 
    great the you collect this type of stuff. I personally am 
    tired of collecting cards. It's boring, difficult to display
    and millions to look at.. to me collecting sports memorabilia 
    is alot more than cards... I like the different stuff. 
    
     Good luck Ron