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Batting gloves are a component inbat-and-ball games sportswear. Typically consisting of a leather palm and back made of nylon or another synthetic fabric, the glove covers one or both hands of a batter, providing comfort, prevention of blisters, warmth, improved grip, and shock absorption when hitting the ball. Batting gloves are considered an essential part ofcricket equipment, though they are not mandatory at any level of the game.
The majority of professional and high-level amateur baseball players wear batting gloves. They are worn because they help increase the quality of the grip on the bat. Maintaining a tight and controlled grip is essential to successful hits. Even the slightest slip or variation in grip can cost the team greatly.[citation needed] They also act as a protector of the hand when one slides into a base. Another prime use for batting gloves, especially in amateur leagues that permit aluminum bats, is shock protection. On a cold day, a swing can fracture fingers.[citation needed]
WhileKen Harrelson is often credited with being the first Major League player to wear a batting glove when he did so in the 1960s,[1][2] the use of gloves dates to at least the late 1800s. An early example isTom Brown of the1897 Washington Senators wearing hisfielding glove while batting to protect and injured hand;[3] in that era, fielding gloves were smaller, softer and lacking webbing, making this unintended usage possible.[4]
In his bookA Game of Inches, baseball historianPeter Morris wrote that a batting glove may have been used as early as 1901 byHughie Jennings, who had a knack for beinghit by pitches. "Hughey Jennings has lots of fun flirting that big glove of his into the ball, and many a time he was made a present to first when he was no more entitled to it than aKohinoor," wroteJohn B. Foster ofThe Sporting Life. Morris wrote that this "seems to indicate that Jennings wore some form of glove while batting."[5] Also in 1901,Frank Butler, playing his final professional season for the minor leagueChattanooga Lookouts, wore a batting glove to protect a sore hand.[6]
In 1932,The Sporting News reported thatLefty O'Doul andJohnny Frederick of theBrooklyn Dodgers both wore batting gloves to protect injured hands, with O'Doul wearing an ordinary street glove and Frederick supplementing his with bandages and padding.[5] The same year,Detroit Tigers rookie catcherHughie Wise advocated wearing golf gloves while batting to improve grip and protect from bruising, but doubted they would ever become widespread. "Baseball is a conservative sport and if a fellow went to bat wearing gloves someone would call him aBolshevik or a sissy," he told theDetroit Free Press.[7]
In 1949,The News Tribune wrote thatBoston Braves outfielderMarv Rickert "introduced something new to baseball—the use of a golf glove while hitting." Rickert, nursing a broken thumb, happened upon a golf glove in sporting goods store, and found that it improved his grip while padding his injured finger. After a successful 1948 minor league season wearing the glove with theTriple-AMilwaukee Brewers, he introduced the idea to the Braves' athletic trainer in 1949, who ordered a supply for the club. "The gloves are now worn by several major leaguers," the report said.[8]
In the 1940s and 1950s, many players wore gloves while batting in Major League games, includingBirdie Tebbetts,[9] Marv Rickert,[10]Vic Wertz,[11]Roy Campanella,[12]Bobby Ávila,[13]Frank Thomas,[14] andJohnny Temple.[15]Bobby Thomson,[5]Ted Williams,[16]Willie Mays,[17] andGil Hodges wore them in batting practice.[18]
Morris does, however, credit Harrelson andRusty Staub with helping to popularize batting gloves,[5] which were ubiquitous by the late 1970s.[19]
Batting gloves are considered an essential part ofcricket equipment, though they are not mandatory at any level of the game. They are thickly padded above the fingers and on the thumb of the hand, to protect against impact from theball. The batsman can be alsocaught out if the ball touches the glove instead of thebat, provided the hand is in contact with the bat. This is because the glove is considered to be the extension of the bat.
Head-Senator Brown wore his glove while batting and running the bases. It is doubtful there is another player in the league who does not discard the covering when he leaves the field...Brown is guarding a sore hand, which has not fully healed.
Frank Butler is all knocked up. The old-time player has a sore hand, and has to wear a glove while batting.
Birdie Tebbets protected his sore right hand by wearing a glove while batting...
Marv Rickert...wears a golf glove while batting to prevent blisters...
When Vic Wertz came to bat the Baltimore bench yelled 'fore.' He wore a golf glove to protect his tender right hand.
[Campanella uses] a sponge in his catching mitt and a plain doeskin glove while batting...
Bobby Avila is among the Indians who continue to use golf gloves while batting.
Frank Thomas, still in a deep slump, is now wearing a golf glove while batting...
Johnny Temple...wore a golf glove while batting Tuesday night...He collected a triple and a single in five innings.
Williams said he would wear gloves while batting until his hands become toughened...[he] estimated it would take at least three weeks to get into playing shape.
Mays...in an otherwise ordinary batting practice...wears a golf glove on his left hand...
'Gill worked so hard last year that he began wearing blisters on his hands and for a while he even had to wear a golf glove while batting,' Alston said.
