Ball Glove Mitt

Getting a new Baseball or Softball glove always has advantages to it. With the glove comes hope that this glove will bring you better luck than your old one. It brings a new since of entitlement, this glove is yours and only yours to break in and cherish. The problem is everyone on Earth hates to break it in. It takes work and patience, but with my help, I can guide you to the most effective way to properly break in your glove. Follow these steps and I will get you on the field with it as soon as I can. Just follow the steps...

First step after purchasing your new pride and joy is to get an oil that your are comfortable with almost all gloves need oil unless they are vinyl or already oil injected. If your glove is one of these stay away from oiling because it would be over kill and would weigh the glove down too much.

So know your Glove.

Once you pick out the oil you like, read the instructions. Glove oils are like opinions, everyone has one and some vary on what to do. For now we will say you have one that states "To best apply conditioner, rub it liberally into the leather with your bare hands. Work it into every area including the laces and the inside of the glove where cracking generally takes place." What this basically means, is by rubbing the oil in with your hands it allows the oil to penetrate the leather for the best results. Grant it your hands get sticky but you know the oil is in the glove good. Do the whole glove including the inside and all the laces, the laces will stay soft and not get hard and brittle. A.K.A. BREAKABLE. The inside of the glove is important because that is where the sweat is. Over time that sweat eats through the glove, this will prevent that.

Second, take the glove and find to baseballs or softballs and a shoestring or piece of leather to tie the glove up. If it is a baseball glove, you take the first baseball and put it in the center of the pocket. Then take the next baseball and put it on top of the first ball. Then take the glove and go pinky finger to thumb. What that means, is the thumb should be a little exaggerated that way the pocket is deep not narrow and short. Then take whatever you have to tie the glove tight, I like to use a leather glove lace and tie it threw the middle of the glove. This way the glove is closed with the two balls of inside of it forming that deep pocket. Then tie a not and you are done for the night. The next day untie the not and take a dry cloth to the glove removing any excess oil. Then grab your Dad or a friend and play catch. At first, the glove will be stiff but you need to work with it. This takes some time but in the end, it will all be worth it because the glove will be broken in right. From here, all you can do is work with it, play catch, buy a glove mallet and beat on it or even just grab the pinky and thumb of the glove and tug it up and down repeatedly to loosen the leather.

Tips and Advice

- Go to a batting cage, put a token in and catch balls. (With a Helmet on)

- Buy a glove mallet, they usually have more weight to them, simulates a hard throw

- Next keep working the heel of the glove

- And finally play catch, play catch, play catch...

Things Not to Do

- Dip it in water, sure it loosens the glove but ruins it. That is why you don't leave it out in the rain.

- Bake it in the oven or microwave, ruins the lacing and leather forever!

- Run it over with the car

You would not believe all the stories I (Scott Mathewson) have heard over the years to quickly break in a glove while running my Prime Time Sporting Goods Shop. The fact remains that the best way to break in new baseball gloves is the old fashion way by playing catch. Any other method to accelerate the break in process is just a quick fix that will shorten the life of a glove.

Find tips on the game of baseball and my personal commentary at the Prime Time Sporting Good's Coach's Corner for Baseball and Softball enthusiasts. And be sure to check out our article on how to pick the right sized baseball hat.

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