Breaking in a new baseball glove is a right of passage for many baseball players. It's one thing to pick out a glove you like at the sporting goods store, but it's quite another to get it prepared for game action. By taking a few steps to loosen the leather, your glove will be game-ready within a few days.
Shaving Cream
Use two healthy squirts of shaving cream into the catching area of the glove and rub it in well. This should take about five minutes when all the cream should be rubbed in to the leather. Put two more squirts of shaving cream in the glove and repeat the process. After you have worked it into the glove's surface, take a towel, dry off the moisture and wipe away the excess. Only use foam shaving cream and do not use shaving gel, because it could harm the leather in the glove.
Tie Up the Glove
Put a baseball in the center of the pocket of the glove, then close the fingers of the glove over the ball followed by the thumb area. Take a piece of rope or a thick belt and tie the glove closed securely. Leave the glove tied like this for about eight hours, then untie the glove.
Play Catch
Take the glove out and play catch for about 20 to 30 minutes. Hopefully you can play with someone who throws fairly hard. The leather will make a popping sound when the ball hits it. This will help loosen the leather and get it game-ready.
Oil the Glove
After you play catch, rub glove oil all over the surface of the glove. Then take a ball and put it in the center of the pocket. Repeat the tying process and let the glove sit for another eight hours. When you untie the glove after that, it will be game-ready.
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