As Baseball was developed in the United States, so was the equipment used. The first recorded instance of any player using a baseball glove was in Cincinnati in 1869, when Red Stockings player Doug Allison had a glove made for him by a local saddle maker. Some equipment such as catchers shinguards were modeled after a cricketer's leg pads but, the baseball glove, USA made.
Making a baseball glove is the hardest thing in the world to make out of leather. The average glove takes approx 3hrs to produce. See video from Akadema on how gloves are made. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcGiBodC-Mo
the first baseball bat was made out of wood
people used their hands and often broke them before the glove was invented The players used their bare hands to catch or knock down the ball. The first players to use baseball gloves were often taunted and teased as being "too soft" or "sissies" because they did not want to catch the ball with their bare hands. The first baseball gloves were used in the 1870s. The basic idea was to create a glove that would pad and protect the players' hands and provide a cushion for catching the ball. Surprisingly, the first gloves were designed so the player could knock the ball to the ground and not necessarily catch it. History's first baseball gloves were made from pieces of leather sewn together to fit over a player's hand. Many early baseball gloves were simple leather gloves with the fingertips cut off, supposedly to allow for the same control of a bare hand, but with extra padding. The adoption of the baseball glove by baseball star Albert Spalding when he began playing first base influenced more infielders to begin using gloves. By the mid 1890s, it was the norm for players to wear gloves in the field. Below I will leave a link to a page about Vintage baseball equipment.
The bulk of the value on a baseball glove relies on a player endorsement. Without a Player endorsement value will rely on vintage glove features such as web style, model rarity, or glove designs like buckle backs, and split fingers gloves made before WWII referred to as pre war gloves. Otherwise it will have little collectors value. Nokona baseball gloves player endorsements include: Joe Jackson, Carl Erskine, Billy Martin, Dick Williams, and others. As with all collectibles condition is important. Common flaws with baseball gloves are: loose or broken lacing/webbing, dry or cracking leather, ripped manufacturer label on back, worn printing on glove, and owners name hand written on it. any of these flaws will lower the value on the glove. I will leave a link below to help you grade the condition, and date your glove, and a link to vintage baseball gloves to compare style, and value. More information is needed to put a value on the glove. If you need more help contact me.
Joseph H. Shockley made it in New York.
This is some discrepancy over who invented the first baseball glove. However, Rawlings sports manufacturing company is the first recorded manufacturer of the baseball glove and does hold the patent on this first glove.
leather
The first recorded instance of any player using a baseball glove was in Cincinnati in 1869, when Red Stockings player Doug Allison had a glove made for him by a local saddle maker. At that time, however, it was considered "unmanly" for players to seek protection for one's hands and the use of a glove was considered a sign of weakness. It would not be until the late 1870's - 1880's when gloves became widely accepted.
Sure. A softball glove is made of the same materials that a baseball glove is made of (high grade leather). They need time to be broken in. Oiling the glove will help with this process.
Nokona put out the Cal Abrams model G50 baseball glove in the early 1950s.
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Only available through Rawlings' Pro Dept.
Rawlings HH model or Harvey Haddix. The glove now resides in the Baseball HOF.
Leather. Usually calfskin. It's softer and more flexible.
Akadema Inc. and Nokona only glove manufacturers in the USA. The art of making a baseball gloves is extemely difficult. I suggest contacting one of the companies if you are curious. www.akademapro.com www.nocono.com
rawlings primo $449 made of Italian leather
Making a baseball glove is the hardest thing in the world to make out of leather. The average glove takes approx 3hrs to produce. See video from Akadema on how gloves are made. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcGiBodC-Mo