Baseball gloves with an adaptable index finger stall and methods of making same

Abstract

Baseball gloves with an adaptable index finger stall and methods of making same are provided. A glove can include a back leather having a little finger stall portion, ring finger stall portion, middle finger stall portion, index finger portion, and a thumb stall portion. Each of the stall portions can have distal and proximal ends. An aperture can be located at the proximal end of the index finger stall portion of the back leather. A pad can span part of the aperture. The adapted index finger stall enables users to select between a plurality of index finger positions based upon the user's preferences and play style. One of the positions can enable users to place the index finger such that is it partially housed within the index finger stall without reducing the glove's comfort, safety, and performance. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.

1 . A baseball glove comprising:
 a back leather having a little finger stall portion, ring finger stall portion, middle finger stall portion, index finger stall portion, and a thumb stall portion, each of said stall portions having distal and proximal ends;   an aperture located at the proximal end of the index finger stall portion of the back leather; and   a pad spanning part of the aperture.   
   
   
       2 . A baseball glove according to  claim 1 , the aperture is oblong. 
   
   
       3 . A baseball glove according to  claim 1 , the aperture has a proximal region and a distal region, the width of the proximal being greater than the width of the distal region. 
   
   
       4 . A baseball glove according to  claim 3 , the pad spans all of the distal region of the aperture, and the proximal region of the aperture is substantially not spanned by the pad. 
   
   
       5 . A baseball glove according to  claim 1 , the width of the distal region of the aperture is approximately 2.5 centimeters and the width of the proximal region of the aperture is approximately 5 centimeters. 
   
   
       6 . A baseball glove according to  claim 1 , the pad is formed from rubber. 
   
   
       7 . A baseball glove according to  claim 1 , the pad is sewn to the back leather 
   
   
       8 . A baseball glove according to  claim 1 , the pad defines the proximal portion of the index finger stall. 
   
   
       9 . A baseball glove comprising:
 a back leather having an outward surface and an inward surface, a little finger stall portion, ring finger stall portion, middle finger stall portion, index finger stall portion, and a thumb stall portion, each of said stall portions having distal and proximal ends;   an aperture located at the proximal end of the index finger stall portion of the back leather; and   a pad spanning part of the aperture, the pad having an outward surface and an inward surface, wherein the pad is attached to the inward surface of the back leather.   
   
   
       10 . A baseball glove according to  claim 9 , the pad adapted to receive the index finger of the user such that the top of the index finger does not extend above the outward surface of the back leather. 
   
   
       11 . A baseball glove according to  claim 9 , the width of the aperture adapted to decrease when the pad is pressed by a user's index finger. 
   
   
       13 . A baseball glove according to  claim 9 , capable of receiving a user's index finger between the outward surface of the back leather and the outward surface of the pad. 
   
   
       14 . A baseball glove according to  claim 9 , the aperture having a proximal region and a distal region, the width of the proximal being greater than the width of the distal region. 
   
   
       15 . A baseball glove according to  claim 14 , wherein the pad spans all of the distal region of the aperture, and the proximal region of the aperture is substantially not spanned by the pad. 
   
   
       16 . A method to produce a baseball glove comprising:
 providing at least one piece of leather;   forming a plurality finger stall portions and a palm portion from the at least one piece of leather;   providing an aperture in one of the finger stall portions; and   substantially spanning the aperture with an element.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising, attaching the element to the surface of the at least one piece of leather that will define the interior of the glove at a plurality of points adjacent to the aperture. 
   
   
       18 . A baseball glove comprising: a front leather having an outward surface and an inward surface, a little finger stall portion, ring finger stall portion, middle finger stall portion, index finger stall portion, and a thumb stall portion, each of said stall portions having distal and proximal ends;
 a back leather having an outward surface and an inward surface, a little finger stall portion, ring finger stall portion, middle finger stall portion, index finger stall portion, and a thumb stall portion, each of said stall portions having distal and proximal ends;   an aperture located at the proximal end of the index finger stall portion of the back leather; and   a pad spanning part of the aperture, the pad having an outward surface and an inward surface, wherein the pad is attached to the inward surface of the back leather, the pad adapted to enable a user to place an index finger in the index finger stall with the back side of the user's index finger against the inward surface of the pad or with the palm side of the user's index finger against the outward surface of the pad.   
   
   
       19 . A baseball glove according to  claim 18 , the pad forming an index finger receiving recess when the user places the index finger on the outward surface of the pad. 
   
   
       20 . A baseball glove according to  claim 19 , the index finger receiving recess adapted to house the user's index finger such that the index is between the plane of the outward surface of the back leather the outward surface of the pad, and the inward surface of the pad is in communication with the inward surface of the finger stall portion of the front leather.