The start of baseball season usually means the need for new equipment, particularly a new glove. While certain types of gloves, those made from synthetic materials or softer types of leather, may not need to be broken in, the heavy-duty leather gloves that stand up best to a season of wear and tear do tend to be very stiff at first. For over a century, baseball players have been coming up with new methods of breaking in their gloves to acquire that perfect fit.
Oil It Up
Neatsfoot oil was the favorite glove softener for old-time ballplayers, and it still has its fans, although it can dry out leather over time. Lanolin, as found in the leather softener Lexol, will also lubricate gloves, although it won't darken the leather or give it that slightly tacky feel preferred by neatsfoot fans. Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) is another popular glove lubricant, and many glove manufacturers sell their own conditioning oils and lotions. Whichever lubricant you use, spread a thin coat over the glove with a soft cloth, but don't overdo it. It shouldn't be necessary to relubricate more than two or three times per season.
Soften with Shaving Cream
One somewhat more unorthodox method of softening a glove involves using shaving cream-plain cream, not gel. You can use the shaving cream as you would any other lubricant or you can take a somewhat more radical approach by soaking the glove in a bucket full of the stuff. If you choose the more extreme approach, you'll first need to shape the glove as outlined in Section 3, then bury it in a bucket into which you've emptied two full cans of shaving cream. Make sure the glove is entirely covered with the cream. Let the glove soak overnight, then remove it and allow it to air dry for a day or two at room temperature. Do not place it near a source of heat, as this will cause the leather to overdry and crack. Once the glove is completely dry, it should be soft, supple and molded to the correct shape.
Wrap It Up
Form the glove pocket by placing a baseball or softball in the center and folding the glove around it. Tie it up with string, and let it rest or a day or two. You can also place it under your mattress. This may make your bed a little lumpy, but your weight, and that of the mattress, will help to mold the glove around the ball.
Play Catch
Play catch as often as you can to form the pocket in the best, most natural way, If you do not have anyone to play catch with, you can practice throwing the ball against a stoop or a wall and catching it in your glove, or you can even go to a batting cage and use the pitching machine to throw balls you'll then be trying to catch instead of hit. If it's wintertime, nighttime, raining or you are otherwise unable to go outside and play catch, you can just hold the ball in one hand and smack it into the pocket with the other hand. Try to do this at least 50 times, but the more you can do it, the better your glove will form.
Nuke It
In this instance, "nuke" does not refer to Nuke Laloosh of "Major League" fame, but to the microwave oven. A trick used by certain big-league ballplayers is to wet a glove all over with water, then microwave it on high for about 20 seconds. This may work as a quick fix for softening a new glove, but is not recommended for anyone who has to pay for his own glove as it tends to damage the leather in the long run.
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