Baseball Glove Tips
Breaking In Your Glove
Talk to six different baseball players and you'll probably get six different methods for breaking in a new glove. Everybody has their own trick to make the leather soft and flexible.
The most important thing to remember is that breaking in a new glove takes time. It's not something that will happen in a few hours or overnight. You have to be patient to get the job done right.
The first step is to condition the leather. This can be done with a number of products. Most glove manufacturers sell their own leather conditioners. You can also use shaving cream, petroleum jelly or saddle soap. Regardless of which product you use, be sure to cover the entire glove, but DO NOT over-apply. Coat the leather, don't saturate it.
After the glove has dried -- usually a couple of hours but I prefer to let it sit overnight -- go out and have a catch with your new glove. If you are going to use the glove for softball, have a catch with a softball. If you are going to play baseball, use a baseball. The goal here is to let the glove conform to the ball and your hand.
When you are done having a catch, put a baseball or softball in the pocket and use string or a strong rubber band to close it tight around the ball.
Use your new glove often to have a catch before using it in a game. Each time you are finished having a catch, wrap the ball in the pocket.
Depending on the quality of leather in your new glove and the duration of your catching sessions, it could take several days to get your glove the way you want it.
Baseball Glove Care Rules
- DO keep your glove clean during the season. A warm, damp cloth is just fine to wipe off the dirt and grime.
- DON'T soak your glove. Too much moisture will damage the leather.
- DO use a leather conditioner sparingly during the season. It will help keep the leather soft.
- DON'T over-apply conditioner. Too much conditioner is not a good thing.
- DO use a leather conditioner on your glove when the season is over. Make sure your glove is clean before applying conditioner. Allow the conditioner to soak in completely. You may have to apply two or three coats.
- DON'T just throw your glove into a closet after the season and expect it to be on game-ready condition next year.
- DO tighten loose laces and replace broken or brittle laces.
- DON'T hope to make it through the season with a glove that is not in top condition.
- DO put a baseball or softball in the pocket if you're not going to use your glove for several weeks.
- DON'T put your glove in a microwave or dunk it in water in hopes of bringing it back to life quickly.
- DO inspect your glove in plenty of time before the season so you'll have time to get it repaired or the laces replaced, if necessary.
- DON'T wait until the last minute!
If you follow these simple suggestions, your glove will give you many seasons of high-quality performance.