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Baseball and softball are both global sports with the same origin; although softball came out of a baseball, both have similarities; one of the game’s similarities includes the equipment used in playing the game. Softball is a global sport that has grown over the years and now has a lot of fans from all over the world, the game of softball is similar to its baseball counterpart, The equipment used in playing this game is however very important has nothing can be done without the equipment used in playing the game. Like baseball, one of the essential pieces of equipment used in the gsme of softball includes the bat; the bat is a crucial piece in softball and baseball because of its function. Apart from the part, different equipment is used in playing the game like the helmet and the glove. However people tend to feel that the other piece of equipment is not as crucial as the bat, this is not true. Every piece of equipment is very vital in playing the game. Another critical tool for playing the game is the softball gloves.
Learn how to break in a softball gloves: here
The softball glove performs different functions in the game because other gloves are used in the game. The softball glove comes in various forms and types, including the fielder glove, the catchers’ glove, infield gloves, the first base glove, outfield gloves, and the training gloves. With all this list of different softball gloves listed above, one will see how vital the softball glove is to the game and why it is as essential as the softball bat itself
Types of softball gloves
There are different types of gloves, as said earlier. Each one has When talking about softball gloves, the first thing that comes to mind is the catcher’s mitt. However, as popular as this glove is, different gloves are present in the game; this includes the first baseman mitt, the infield glove, the outfield glove, and the catcher’s mitt. The softball glove is an oversized leather glove used in softball; softball players of the guarding team wear it; this glove helps the player catch and field balls strike by batter or balls thrown by a teammate.
Learn how to clean batting gloves: here
During the beginning days of the game, catchers catch the balls with bare-hands; as the game progress, the mitt was introduced to the game. However, the first mitt was not webbed, not like the ones present today, so catching a ball with it was a bit tasking. However, it was used to swat the ball to the ground before picking it up; it helps a little with the players’ pain when catching it directly. In modern-day, the mitt has been upgraded and remodified to suit the purpose for which it was intended; the production of gloves is, however, more efficient and precise in its job these days. The types of softball glove we have are highlighted below
- The catcher mitt: This glove must be useful in grabbing, handling, and having a grip on the ball even if it’s moving at high speed. This glove is the largest of all softball gloves; apart from been the largest, the catcher’s mitt also has the deepest pocket.
- The first Baseman mitt: This glove is designed for players standing and covering the first base. The pocket of this type of glove is, however, not as deep as that of the catcher’s mitt.
- The infield glove: The infield glove is designed to handle a lot of pressure and action as infield players experience many actions in the game.
- The outfield glove: The glove is long and possesses a pocket to allow catching of ball in motion and also scooping up the ball from the ground without totally bending down
Know more about softballs: here
How to determine softball glove size
As earlier discussed, softball is essential to the game; like all other equipment used in the game, the softball gloves must be measured before use. Like the bat, some rules and regulations are applied to it when measuring the softball glove, like the weight and division a player is playing in. The player’s age is all that is put into consideration for the measurement of the softball glove.
Has a softball player, how do you know the size of a glove to get? As a softball player, knowing the size of the glove you use is important, Because, In every softball glove, the glove’s size is inscribed on the glove’s thumb or the pinky finger of the glove. The manufacturers do not just make gloves without a measurement; the manufacturer measures their product from the index finger’s apex and moves down along the gloves until it gets to the heel center. That length or technique is how the size of a softball glove is determined. As a softball player, this mostly applies to Amateurs in softball. Getting the size of your glove is quite simple. Just check the thumb or pinky of the glove to know the size of gloves that perfectly fit your hand. This measurement style applies to most softball gloves except the mitt; The catchers’ mitt is slightly different in measurement than other gloves because it is always larger than other gloves. The catchers’ mitt case is measured by the circumference rather than the top to bottom measurement of other gloves.
Checkout softball helmet size: here
Softball glove sizing is picked from the apex of the index to the center of the glove heel, while that of the catchers’ mitt measures the circumference around the whole mitt.
Conclusion
There are different types of gloves and different production styles, And different functions pertaining to each of them, so in choosing a baseball bat, all these should be considered, the size, the glove type, and style, the function it is meant to perform.
The measurement of the glove is picked from the index down to the heel of the glove; however, the sizes of gloves are on average and may not pertain to every single player, so before selecting a glove, you should pick on personal preference and also consider your comfort when choosing a glove.