This blog is not about Mitt Romney. It’s not about Barack Obama or anyone running for office. But we are talking about something equally important for the future of our country – and for baseball fans everywhere – the answers to the eternal question: how do you want your mitt – as in baseball glove. Turns out breaking in that new glove is both an art and a science. Molding that new piece of stiff leather into a malleable mitt involves hard labor and creativity.
Some ballplayers drown their gloves in warm water. Others nuke it in the microwave. I’ve even heard of players running over it with a car. But for me the best way to soften that new glove with just the right pocket is to hit it first with your fist about 100 times. Then massage the mitt with a little Gloveolium to loosen up the leather. Insert a baseball into the pocket, then squeeze the glove tight and wrap it up with a belt to keep the pressure on the pocket so it looks like this:
The next thing to do is simply wait for the pocket to form. When I was a kid, I used to sleep with my mitt under my pillow. I thought that might help my glove form the perfect pocket or at least help me dream about baseball. After about a week I removed the glove and went outside to play catch with my Dad. And sure enough – the glove was broken in just the way I liked it.
While that technique worked for me – there are plenty of other methods out there, as you’ll see in this great article from the L.A. Times:
What’s your favorite method for molding the perfect mitt? Let me hear from you and I’ll post your recommendations.
