Modern baseball gloves are nothing like the stiff pieces of leather that were used early in baseball's history. The gloves manufactured today have comfortable slots for all of your fingers, a solid web that will help the fielder catch anything he can touch and a padded palm that will protect the hand. Many gloves appear usable when you buy them because you can open and close them, but you should make the effort to break them in before using them in practice or a game.
Glove Oil
Rub glove oil in the pocket of your glove and spread it throughout the fingers in order to make the leather soft and pliable. Work the oil into the glove for at least 10 minutes and then dry off the excess with a small towel. Then take a baseball and press it deep in the pocket. Wrap the fingers of the glove around the ball and the thumb around the fingers. Use a strong belt to keep the glove closed. Leave the glove in this position for at least eight hours.
Bathtub
Soak your glove in warm water in the bathtub or sink. Leave the glove in the water for at least five minutes. Warm water will help soften the leather. After the glove dries, use another coat of glove oil and place the baseball in the middle and secure it in a manner that will not allow the ball to slip out of place. This will help you establish a strong and deep pocket that will enable you to hold on to hard line drives when the ball is hit your way. Leave the ball in this position for at least eight hours.
Play Catch
This is the final step in getting your glove ready. After treating and softening your glove leather for two sessions, it's time to take it out and loosen it up. The best way to do this is to play catch with a hard-throwing teammate for at least 15 minutes at a time. Once you start hearing the leather pop in the glove, it will become much easier to open and close your glove the next time you use it. A baseball thrown with significant velocity will loosen the leather and help get it game ready.
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