Glove Work!

Baseball seems to be a big part of our family right now.  We just finished our first season of playing pitching machine ball and Reid seems to really enjoy practicing in the yard and working to get better.  I hope that we can continue to work all summer in efforts to be ready for next season.  Part of that work involves what I call "glove work".  I want Reid to be a good fielder of the baseball, so we constantly play catch and work on fielding the ball.  This also involves me having to do my share of catching the baseball too.  I don't mind because not only do I get to spend time with my son, but it has also brought me back into a relationship with an old friend, my Wilson A2000. 

For the uneducated, the Wilson A2000 in the best baseball glove to have ever been made. I got mine when I was 15 years old and played my high school career with it.  I truly believe that a Wilson baseball glove is just flat out better than the competition, and for this reason alone, Reid owns one too.

This is a picture of Reid's Wilson A450 youth glove and my 22 year old Wilson A2000.  She still looks pretty good doesn't she.  I now get to use her about four or five times a week.  I love the sound that the pop of the ball makes as it hits the pocket.  I tell Reid to throw me fastballs just so I can hear it pop.

Here are the two gloves in the ready position.  Notice how the glove has a nice curve to it that will funnel all balls to the pocket.  Another good quality about a Wilson glove.

Most kids these days seem to fall in love with their bats.  They want the latest and greatest hitting weapon available.  For me it was always about the glove.  I took great pride in caring for my glove and considered it very valuable.  In fact a Wilson A2000 is valuable.  They will run you about $250 these days.  I am trying to teach Reid to love and care for his glove also.  He slept with it while we were breaking it in and constantly toted it around the house throwing a ball into the webbing.  We rub oil on it together and talk about taking care of what is a very important part of his baseball equipment.  I can only hope that if he sees the need in taking care of something that means a lot to him, then maybe he will learn a life lesson as well.

It is time for Reid to receive an update on his glove.  His current glove has served him well through two years of T-ball and one year of pitching machine ball, but we are starting to work with harder baseballs and they are taking their tole on the stitching.  There is nothing wrong with the glove, it is just made to handle the softer baseballs used in T-ball, not real baseballs.  I have ordered him a Wilson A500 series glove and it should be here in a few days.  The leather will be stronger and the stitching will be more supportive.  I can't wait to start the breaking in process and teach Reid all over again the values of taking care of your glove.

I'll leave you with one last Glory Day Picture.  See if you can recognize that little beauty on my left hand.