Vintage Baseball Gloves

Catch a Ball with Your Vintage Baseball Glove

Before 1875, you would be considered "unadventurous" if you wore a baseball glove. After a player donned a pair of railroad gloves to protect an injured hand, other baseball players started creating their own baseball gloves. If you want to start your own collection of baseball gloves, you can find a wide selection of antique baseball gloves on eBay.

After a player invented the first glove from a pair of railroad gloves, the baseball glove began to change rapidly. Some of the different styles of antique and vintage baseball gloves that you might want to add to your collection include:

• 1880: The first baseball gloves resembled workers' gloves, and they had no fingers so that players could grip the ball better. Soon, fingers started to appear in baseball mitts. Before the turn of the century, antique baseball gloves had crescent pillow shapes built into them to add more protection.
• 1900: Full webs are sewn directly to baseball gloves.
• 1920: Vertical tunnel loop webs were found in most baseball gloves.
• 1930: The first laced fingers appeared on baseball gloves, and the H web made its first appearance.
• 1970: While Major League Baseball instituted a rule that no glove could be longer than 12 inches, many still played with 14-inch or bigger gloves.

One of the earliest manufacturers of baseball gloves was Spalding who sold its gloves through Sears catalogs, but there were other vintage baseball glove manufacturers, including:

• A.J. Reach - One of the first manufacturers to put his name on baseball gloves. You can find early fielder and catcher gloves made with pillows from this Philadelphia manufacturer.
• Victor Athletic Goods - One of the earliest manufacturers of pillow gloves. This company was operated by brothers and is known for its pillow baseball gloves. When you shop on eBay, you may be able to find their gloves showcasing an adjustable strap web and adjustable heel lacing.
• Wilson - This company started making baseball gloves in the early 1900s and were one of the first companies to offer players old baseball mitts based on their position.
• Nocona - This Texas company was one of the earliest to offer multi-piece baseball gloves. One antique baseball glove model had over 20 pieces.

There were many types of vintage baseball gloves named after players who started endorsing them in the 1920s. The Bill Doak glove introduced lace between the first finger and the thumb, which turned the baseball glove into a tool. Victor started selling its 12L model about 1905, and it had a buckle on the back so players could adjust it. You can still the 12L model and the crescent buckle model 17F when you are shopping for vintage baseball gloves for sale on eBay. Wilson made the A2000 in the 1950s, and it featured a deeper pocket. It was one of the first gloves to close like a jaw and was also much lighter than other options on the market during that time.