Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

by VidaWantsYourCar on Jan 16, 2008 6:03 PM PST

I haven't bought a glove/mitt, or even surveyed the aisles at a sporting goods store in about twenty years, so I don't even know if gloves still have stamped "signatures" on them, much less if any relatively no-name players have a chance of landing on one, but reading the 'random Giant and first concert' diary got me chuckling over a couple of names, one of which I actually had on a catcher's mitt when I was a kid (Dick Dietz). I also had a John Orsino--nabbed from an older cousin's closet in the mid-70s--and a kid on my Little League team had a glove that looked like it could have been worm by Rabbit Maranville with the signature of someone named Mike de la Hoz on it, whom I looked up in the baseball encyclopedia and discovered he had a cup of coffee in the majors around the dead ball era. Anyone else out there in the McCoven ever come across a really (or at least relatively) obscure signature on a baseball glove?

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Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Nah, all I have is my Ricky Henderson from the fourth grade. It doesn't fit anymore, but it's my glove and I just don't catch anything better than I do when I have that tiny web barely covering my left hand.

He is Vengeance. He is the Knight. He is Dave Righetti. PRAY TO HIM! / Also, my blog. For writers.

by howtheyscored on Jan 16, 2008 6:32 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Mike de la Hoz was a utility infielder in the late 50's early 60's. My first glove was for Midget League in San Anselmo. A Spaulding Sammy Esposito model. Very inexpensive and almost a flat pocket. Sammy Esposito was a poor man's Mike Benjamin, or if you will, a non-sinister Cody Ransom. As my Dad realized I was a good field-no hit ball player he bought me a Wilson A-2000, pretty much top of the line. I lost it 3 years later and finished my "career" with Harmon killebrew and Luis Aparicio. The glove in the closet now is a softball model that must be as big as a basketball. Since my daughter is not playing anymore, I wonder if I will ever use it again. Sigh.

by drysdalecousin on Jan 16, 2008 6:35 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Thanks for the correction on de la Hoz; I wrote my take on his career from recollections of looking him up thirty years ago, and I guess remembering the antiquated style of the mitt made me assume he was from an earlier era.

Didn't you used to be Barry Zito?

by VidaWantsYourCar on Jan 16, 2008 6:54 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I still have a Wilson A2200 with a sweet Glen Hubbard sig on it. Glove was nice when it was handed down to me 15 years ago. Silly immature Woody went and thrashed it playing sloshball in college.

Here's to Kemp, Loney, LaRoche, Hu, and Kershaw not panning out.

by Woody Wins on Jan 17, 2008 8:14 AM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

My dad has a Dale Murphy model glove from his softball days.

For me? I have a professional Heart of the Hide model glove that's worn by Torii Hunter. that's as best as I can do. :(

Pedro Feliz: Marginally better this year.

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Jan 16, 2008 7:00 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

My dad had the Dale Murphy glove as well in the mid 80's. I had the infamous Kirk Gibson. Cause didn't he win some gold gloves or something? Yeah, that's it. Why NOT give him a glove?

-D

by dw4848 on Jan 16, 2008 8:01 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Rock on! I had the Dale Murphy too! I remember it being a really decent glove.

by Sigualicious on Jan 16, 2008 8:15 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

My hand never ever fit in it.

for 3 years of little league/cal ripken, I used a dodgers stadium novelty glove that belonged to my uncle in the '70s. Best glove I ever had.

Pedro Feliz: Marginally better this year.

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Jan 17, 2008 12:13 AM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

A friend of mine who has a fascination for these things gifted me at Christmas with a Bobby Bonds glove.
He says it's authentic but the damn thing is tiny...I mean , did they actually use 10"* gloves back in the '70?s

*(guessing 'cos it's in Phx and I'm in Vegasbaby)

Rockies juggernaut rolls o...ver , dead. NL West TempestTeapot CASE IN POINT!

by victor frankenstein on Jan 16, 2008 8:39 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I think I have that glove too.
It was my little league glove in 3rd grade.
The Bobby Bonds autograph model from Wilson with "Snap Action" and a "Grip-Tite Pocket (tm)".

"cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"

by The Gene Hackman on Jan 16, 2008 8:49 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Woohoo! My first glove was a "Bobby Bonds" model too!

Barack Obama: 1-1

by Goofus on Jan 17, 2008 10:48 AM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I have a Hank Sauer. My friend had a "Oil Can"Boyd.A lot more obscure than mine no doubt.

Sagundase....DAJAUNEE QUEEPEY!!!! (proud adopter of Mr. Kruk and Sir Kuip)

by iNOeverything on Jan 16, 2008 8:46 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Dwight Gooden and Bret Saberhagen. Nothing too original.

I'm an ESPN Insider!

by The Thrill on Jan 16, 2008 8:55 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I've just got an early-90s Ryne Sandberg model.

Steve Kline: How okay is he, really? I would say he is pretty okay.

by groug on Jan 16, 2008 10:01 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I also had the Dale Murphy glove, which until recently I kept in my bag to use as an infielder's glove (since it was a big kid's size OF glove). I'm currently rocking a Bernie Williams model that I've had since, well, Bernie Williams was a good CF. The first glove I remember having was a Dave Steib model - I wonder how many pitchers get autograph model gloves.

by dmunk on Jan 16, 2008 10:53 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

A couple have. Recently, I'm pretty sure Johan has one, Schilling has one, Pedro had one as did Schmidtty. Those are the ones I remember.

Pedro Feliz: Marginally better this year.

by SloIsLonelyForTheOrange on Jan 17, 2008 12:15 AM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

The first glove I remember having was a Roy Sievers first baseman's glove that my dad got me when he and my mom vacationed in New York City. One would have thought he could have gotten me at least a Whitey Lockman. :)

by sharksrog on Jan 17, 2008 12:40 AM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Wow, I still have the Roy Sievers outfield glove Dad played semi-pro ball with. It needs to be restrung -- the old leather cords keep ripping if I try to catch anything with a little heat on it.

by NearestNorwich on Jan 17, 2008 5:55 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I have a Gus Triandos catcher's mitt in my closet. Try and get more abscure than that.

Why isn't Sabean held accountable for leading the Giants into many years of mediocrity???

by oldrips on Jan 17, 2008 8:40 AM PST reply actions

Power hitter, right?

He looked like this little kid who got left at a bus station by his parents. You know why? Because he had to catch Hoyt Wilhelm's knuckleball. Five fucking years. The worst gig in baseball. It was like trying to catch a greased pig with wings. I mean, he even told a reporter once, 'Wilhelm nearly ruined me.' Gus Triandos. Big slow guy.

Steve Kline: How okay is he, really? I would say he is pretty okay.

by groug on Jan 17, 2008 1:53 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Tom Tresh of the NYY, .245/.335/.411 with 698 SO and 153 HR over 9 years. As a SS and OF, the guy averaged 95 SO, 17 HR and about 60 RBI per year over his career . I would say he was the 1960's Pedro Feliz, but the OBP says he could take walk :-)

My adopted son Matt Downs. Because face it, everybody else was already taken by the time I got here.

by nvsfg on Jan 17, 2008 8:56 AM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

my next door neighbor had a Tom Tresh model! Mine was rather strange: a Rawlings Greg Luzinski. Not exactly someone you'd emulate on D.

by Goat on Jan 17, 2008 10:33 AM PST reply actions

Ha!

Under his sig I wrote "BULL"

NL West TempestTeapot...the AL doesn't care WHO you sign.

by victor frankenstein on Jan 17, 2008 7:23 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

My first glove was an Early Wynn signature model. A small, flat-pocket, pitcher's glove. The glove I used in High school didn't have a sig. I played softball regularly until a few years ago with a Dave Winfield model. I lost the Early Wynn glove, but still have the other 2. Of the 3, the one I wish I still had is the Early Wynn glove.

by marklar on Jan 17, 2008 10:57 AM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I used to have a Louisville Slugger Ray Knight model glove. It was a small infielder's glove and I loved it. I eventually replaced it with a couple other gloves, but kept it around until a former friend borrowed and lost it. Bastard.

I eventually got a Rawlings Gold Glove Series model, infielder size, not signed. A damn sweet glove and the one I still use on the rare occasion that I have any chance to play ball.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jan 17, 2008 12:58 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

Although I've been a non-signatured,"Gold Glove," "Heart of the Hide" guy for about twenty years now while playing softball, I still remember my first real mitt: a lefty first baseman model signed by Wes Parker. Yeah, a he was a Dodger, but he was a sweet fielder, the J.T. of his day. And, he appeared on "The Brady Bunch."

"Mow bwiefings?" "More briefings."

by stobgopper on Jan 17, 2008 6:18 PM PST reply actions

Re: Obscure Baseball Glove Signature Models

I had a Billy Williams garage sale special for me first eight seasons. It would have been a big glove for Andris Biedrins, but I was always a pretty good fielder with it.

by Grant Brisbee on Jan 22, 2008 10:45 AM PST reply actions