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What's the best way to break in a baseball glove?

  • ? Also how old were you when you watched The Sandlot?

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    Morrison71 ●

  • In my little league days, everyone would smear the inside of the glove with saddle soap, then put a baseball (or softball if that was your thing) in the center of the sweet spot of the glove and then wrap it all up in twine so it forms itself around the ball. The let it sit like that for a few days. cut off the twine, take the baseball out and slam your fist over and over and over some more in the area previously occupied by the ball. Did it work????? Hell I don't know but it got me through little league and some high school games.

    Froggydegremlin

  • a little bit of oil and lots of playing catch

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    PartsUnknown

  • We used to use a little neatsfoot oil. Too much would turn one into a wash rag.

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    MtHawk ●

  • Oil, shaving cream, some water. While sitting in a chair and watching TV, work on it with both hands opening and closing it hard, but making sure that you are doing the way you want it to close. Also sit there and pound a baseball in to it.

    A lot of catch and then at night put a baseball in it and tie it closed, again the way you want it to close when using it.

    It has never taking me longer than a couple days to get one broken it

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    Buck Russell

  • And to the Sandlot, I was pretty young, still love that movie

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    Buck Russell

  • PartsUnknown said...

    a little bit of oil and lots of playing catch

    This is how Fish got broke in. lol

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    jshawks ●

  • Just watch Good Will Hunting. And I am not sure on the Sandlot

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    Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.

    HawkiBrad55

  • Use bucks or froggy's method. NEVER put a glove in the microwave or oven. It's idiotic and dries out the leather.

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    I didn't mean to hit the umpire with the dirt, but I did mean to hit that bastard in the stands. -Babe Ruth

    JWolf0074

  • jshawks said...

    This is how Fish got broke in. lol

    oh snap!

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    PartsUnknown

  • JWolf0074 said...

    Use bucks or froggy's method. NEVER put a glove in the microwave or oven. It's idiotic and dries out the leather.

    They can get a little chewy but I hear they taste great. Why else would you microwave it unless you wanted to eat it?

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    MtHawk ●

  • As a former collegiate baseball player, I am an expert on this subject. First and foremost, it better be a Rawlings Pro Preferred or GTFO Also, DO NOT PUT OIL OR SHAVING CREAM ON YOUR GLOVE. DO NOT MICROWAVE OR RUN OVER WITH TRUCK. Just play catch with it and always keep at least one ball in it (This applies to the life of the glove). Only rub on vaseline or an equivalent substance, and wipe off 15 minutes later - do this once and it should be good for months. Only do this when the leather appears to be drying out or getting dirty, this will help clean it and make it last for 10+ years.

    OK, now that we are beyond that, what type (think position) of glove also matters. An infielders glove (2B, SS, 3B), you will want the glove to be stiff, and the top of the glove to open wide and not curl on the ends. Outfield gloves will be bigger, and you'll want it to be a little floppier. The pocket should also be deeper. In order to achieve this, you'll want to use two balls in the pocket and tie the glove closed when not using. 1st baseman's mit, will be similar to an outfielder with the deep pocket, but they'll want it a bit stiffer. I never was a catcher but I imagine they want a balance of something not too stiff or floppy.

    Pitchers can do whatever they want because they aren't real ball players ;)

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    Some text.

    Twib ●

  • Twib said...

    As a former collegiate baseball player, I am an expert on this subject. First and foremost, it better be a Rawlings Pro Preferred or GTFO Also, DO NOT PUT OIL OR SHAVING CREAM ON YOUR GLOVE. DO NOT MICROWAVE OR RUN OVER WITH TRUCK. Just play catch with it and always keep at least one ball in it (This applies to the life of the glove). Only rub on vaseline or an equivalent substance, and wipe off 15 minutes later - do this once and it should be good for months. Only do this when the leather appears to be drying out or getting dirty, this will help clean it and make it last for 10+ years.

    OK, now that we are beyond that, what type (think position) of glove also matters. An infielders glove (2B, SS, 3B), you will want the glove to be stiff, and the top of the glove to open wide and not curl on the ends. Outfield gloves will be bigger, and you'll want it to be a little floppier. The pocket should also be deeper. In order to achieve this, you'll want to use two balls in the pocket and tie the glove closed when not using. 1st baseman's mit, will be similar to an outfielder with the deep pocket, but they'll want it a bit stiffer. I never was a catcher but I imagine they want a balance of something not too stiff or floppy.

    Pitchers can do whatever they want because they aren't real ball players ;)

    Twib's suggestions are good.
    Broke in many gloves in my baseball days, then had sons who played baseball.
    Believe that Rawlings makes glove oil specifically for breaking in gloves.
    Then, lots of catch and in between using it, close & tie glove shut with an old belt &
    of course, place a baseball in the pocket, while doing this.

    Skyhawk52 ●

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