Many people know that the first time gloves were used to play baseball were in the 1870s.
The subject of which player was the first to use them, however, is often debated upon.
Some say that the first player to ever use a glove was a catcher.
This makes sense, since catchers are the ones that were in need the most padding.
Despite the logic of catchers having gloves first, the history of it is often debated upon because records have shown that baseball officials did not approve the use of catchers gloves.
They believed that if catchers were given gloves, pitchers would throw harder, and this would put the batter's life in danger.
As pitches naturally got stronger, however, catchers began having a harder time catching pitches.
It came to a point when several catchers were needed in each game because a catcher's hand would wear out and be unable to catch after an inning or two.
After that, they had to sit a couple of games out to let their hands heal.
Many agree that it was this problem that finally got officials to concede to the use of catcher's gloves.
Baseball catchers gloves have gone through many phases through the years.
The first type of glove were fingerless gloves with padded palms.
The fingers on the gloves were cut off because it was believed that the hand would be able to catch better with its fingers free.
This type of glove was used till around 1905, which was when pancake gloves first surfaced.
Pancake gloves were round mitten type gloves which provided a lot of padding for the catchers.
As the years went by, catcher's gloves turned into catcher's mitts, the distinction being made in the fact that mitts have no fingers.
From the rounded pancake, mitts developed webs between the thumb and forefinger which were designed to help catch the ball.
The webs didn't stay long though, they were soon replaced by a solid piece of leather, creating a sort of pocket.
To this day, the solid leather pocket between the thumb and forefinger can be found among all catchers gloves.
Today, catcher's mitts are a very important piece of baseball equipment.
Expertly crafted by most companies, not only do they help protect the catcher, but their design and shape make it easier to catch baseballs, which is exactly the kind of help even the best catchers need!
The subject of which player was the first to use them, however, is often debated upon.
Some say that the first player to ever use a glove was a catcher.
This makes sense, since catchers are the ones that were in need the most padding.
Despite the logic of catchers having gloves first, the history of it is often debated upon because records have shown that baseball officials did not approve the use of catchers gloves.
They believed that if catchers were given gloves, pitchers would throw harder, and this would put the batter's life in danger.
As pitches naturally got stronger, however, catchers began having a harder time catching pitches.
It came to a point when several catchers were needed in each game because a catcher's hand would wear out and be unable to catch after an inning or two.
After that, they had to sit a couple of games out to let their hands heal.
Many agree that it was this problem that finally got officials to concede to the use of catcher's gloves.
Baseball catchers gloves have gone through many phases through the years.
The first type of glove were fingerless gloves with padded palms.
The fingers on the gloves were cut off because it was believed that the hand would be able to catch better with its fingers free.
This type of glove was used till around 1905, which was when pancake gloves first surfaced.
Pancake gloves were round mitten type gloves which provided a lot of padding for the catchers.
As the years went by, catcher's gloves turned into catcher's mitts, the distinction being made in the fact that mitts have no fingers.
From the rounded pancake, mitts developed webs between the thumb and forefinger which were designed to help catch the ball.
The webs didn't stay long though, they were soon replaced by a solid piece of leather, creating a sort of pocket.
To this day, the solid leather pocket between the thumb and forefinger can be found among all catchers gloves.
Today, catcher's mitts are a very important piece of baseball equipment.
Expertly crafted by most companies, not only do they help protect the catcher, but their design and shape make it easier to catch baseballs, which is exactly the kind of help even the best catchers need!
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