Old Gloves and Memories

by HawkeyeEdward on Feb 22, 2012 7:56 PM EST

Last week, my dad (who grew up in Dearborn, but is now retired and living in Arizona) called me, mentioned that he was getting his original baseball glove refurbished, and wanted to know if I'd be interested in keeping it. Certainly, I said.

Today the glove showed up in the mail. It's a Hank Greenberg OK 845 first baseman's left-handed mitt from the mid-1930s. My dad used it (backwards, as he's right-handed) when he was growing up in the late '40s - early '50s. He doesn't remember where he originally got it; possibly from a relative's house.

It's so broken-in that the leather stamping inside the pocket is basically gone. The only number from 845 is "4", and the "Full Grain Rawhide" that would be directly under the 845 (and right above the pocket) has been completely worn away.

The glove I have isn't remotely in mint condition; it's small, bulky and is flaking a bit around the finger opening.

But it's 75 years old and has character.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bless You Boys writing staff.

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To have a piece of baseball

memorabilia like that, passed on to you from your dad is one of the best things that could ever happen. Baseball is forever something intertwined with playing catch or watching games at the park or on tv with dad, grandpa, uncle.
Always cherish it.
To this day I have a program that my dad, as a young 20/21 year old got from his idol Ted Williams in 1946. TW was in Briggs Stadium signing for a large group of kids after batting practice and he saw my dad in his Army uniform waving his program some 30 feet away. Ted finished signing and walked over to dad and talked and signed. Up to his last year in 1991 he would talk about that afternoon while we watched a game.
I wish you many more years with your dad.

by KalineCountry on Feb 22, 2012 10:24 PM EST reply actions

I got my dad

an Al Kaline-signed baseball for his 65th birthday a few years back. Maybe he thought to return the favor with the glove.

by HawkeyeEdward on Feb 22, 2012 11:15 PM EST up reply actions

I have my grandfather's cigar card collection

No Honus Wagner (darn!) but a couple of Ty Cobbs!

Bless You Boys.com

by Kurt Mensching on Feb 23, 2012 7:40 AM EST reply actions

Al for Al

I took my childhood Al Kaline mitt to the old signings they used to do in Tiger Stadium after the season for the batboys fund. This meant a looong wait in the tunnel to the clubhouse made more interesting by the girlfriend I had then who brought a piece of Kirk Gibson’s wedding cake, which was in a box from the wedding (she kept it in her freezer for years!) and which made us the locus of surrounding fans.

By the time I got to the clubhouse, Al was pretty tired, but he signed it near where his mechanical signature was! I’m glad I still kept it.

by Ron Fisher on Feb 23, 2012 10:17 AM EST reply actions

Grandpa's Catcher's Mitt

My grandfather was a catcher in his youth in Arcadia, Michigan. We still have his catcher’s mitt from back then. It is not like a catcher’s mitt today, in that it really doesn’t fold over when you squeeze your fingers together, and has a very thick pad around the edge of the mitt. I don’t know how he held onto the ball, because when we tried it out the ball popped back out most of the time. We actually have a photo of him and his baseball team at the time with the glove in the photo, dated about 1907. Very cool. Somehow my brother claims ownership.

by NCTigersFan on Feb 23, 2012 1:59 PM EST reply actions

memories

i have a program from the 84 world series.i got it from my pop in 84,i was 13,i loved baseball,that summer was magical.dad wasnt a “sports” guy but he seen how much i loved the tigers & baseball so he got it for me.i held that program like it was pure gold,and to me it was.ive taken very good care of it and someday i hope to give it to my boy,he doesnt even know i have it!

by tigerfaninboston on Feb 24, 2012 5:01 PM EST reply actions

My Old 6 Finger

When I was a kid which was only maybe 100 years ago or so I stood outside the players entrance at old Tiger Stadium with my friends, I didn’t have a card for any of the players too sign so why my buddies were gettingtheir baseball cards signed Mr Al Kaline came out and since I didn’t have a baseball card he signed my old 6 finger glove. I kept that old glove as a treasure for over 30 years. When my son was playing in a Traveling Little League All Star league one weekend Paul Cary and Al Kaline were going to be ther signing autographs. My son tool my old 6 finger glove and layed it on the table for Al to sign. Al looked at the glove and then at my son and said he had already signed the glove. I told him he had signed it for me when I was 10 years old. He got a big kick out of that.

by LarryLive on Feb 25, 2012 3:22 PM EST reply actions

Kaline signed my glove too...

but a few years ago it mistakenly got donated to a used equipment drive for inner city kids. Have no idea how it happened but the glove I intended to give is still hanging on a nail in my garage and some kid in Detroit is playing catch with my 40 year old Al Kaline autographed glove.

by Jim Bunn on Mar 8, 2012 4:04 PM EST reply actions