Basket web question... do they ever give out?

Rous

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
I have a great MIUSA 1994 Rawlings PRO-BFB in for a recondition (measures at just about 12.25", so I am guessing this is the precursor to the PRO-502). The thumb and pinkie need stays and the owner wants a palm pad and the thumb loop broke, all easily done. Despite having been well used for 25 years, the black Horween leather is in GREAT shape. But the basket web is REALLY stretched. I have offered to swap on a basket connector web for free (a board bro sent it to me for just this type of situation). It is black with white stitching, so not a perfect match.

Here are pics, what do you think? Would you feel comfortable playing third with this web between you and a 90mph line drive?

web1_zpslfhomldi.jpg


web2_zpsadkfy0sz.jpg
 
fredderf

fredderf

MiZUNo & HORWeeN LoVER
They do break eventually. The lace breaks off the top of the bottom outside connection. They are durable as crap, but do stretch and eventually die.


 
Rous

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
fredderf said:
They do break eventually. The lace breaks off the top of the bottom outside connection. They are durable as crap, but do stretch and eventually die.


Click to expand...

Hmmmm. That one wouldn't happen to both 1) be 6.25" long (6.5" including the tabs) and 2) for sale?
 
MaverickAH

MaverickAH

Well-Known Member
Do you know how many of those strips of leather would have to break simultaneously for it to be a danger????!!!!!

Not gonna happen!!!! I'd feel completely safe using that glove! If fact, I'd say that that web is perfectly broken in & it would be a crime to change it! I'm willing to bet that it plays sweet as hell with little to no rebound.
 
etnstudios

etnstudios

Addicted to Softballfans
i was thinking that too. it ain't broke yet and would take catastrophic failure to blow out all at once. that just looks like a beautiful pocket to me. know right where the ball will be
 
fredderf

fredderf

MiZUNo & HORWeeN LoVER
Depends if its the leather or the stitching that breaks.
The two I have seen break were both the sewing that popped.

So 3 of those straps did break loose. Mind you a golf ball would come through, nothing else.
I think its more on a cosmetic/play concern. For me, the deep er that gets, the tougher to get the ball out quickly.
second, I like all the gloves to be in perfect shape. Thats just me though

F
 
Rous

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
My first thought was the same as Mav and Etn. I love the way a broken in basket web wraps around a ball. I even told the owner that I doubt a failure would result in dental work. However, I have never seen leather stretch like this. Four of the horizontal straps have gained 1". Yes, from 3.25" to 4.25". That's 30%! So my gut was telling me that he might be needing a swap in a year or so anyway (he plans on gaming it at 3rd).

Funny thing, the bands seem to have gotten NARROWER rather than thinner.

I will say that I feel better given that Fred's web is the same web pattern using the same leather. And the owner will always be able to swap back.
 
David the Gnome

David the Gnome

The Veteran
I've never seen a basket web that well broken in before. I'd probably wait for that thing to let go before I swapped it out. I would definitely be keeping a spare handy though.
 
M

moren025

Addicted to Softballfans
When I started playing men's baseball again about a decade ago, I remember my brother-in-laws glove looking something like that (he pitched and played some 3B when he wasn't managing). It was scary!!! It didn't help that we were playing in a renegade league which had no bat restrictions. I ended up giving him my son's backup Jeter gamer because I was afraid for him.
 
chrometip78

chrometip78

The Hungarian Barbarian
Long as the leather and stitching hasn't become dry and brittle, safety wouldn't be a concern for me. More about the user's preference for the way it plays and affects the shape of the glove.

Looks like the glove was well cared for so from the pic I'd say it's gtg. Especially with new bones and laces.
 
D

defos

Well-Known Member
I prefer a basket web. I've only seen a very few that stretched like that. The more likely failure points are the loops for the laces, but those look really good. Probably not a safety concern, but it would have to affect the way the glove feels and plays. I seldom actually reach into the glove to get the ball, so my concern would be that stretched web wouldn't release the ball the way I want it to. If the owner's been using it like that, he might have trouble adjusting to a new unstretched web.

The couple of PROBFBs I've had were way bigger than 12.25.
 
Rous

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
defos said:
I prefer a basket web. I've only seen a very few that stretched like that. The more likely failure points are the loops for the laces, but those look really good. Probably not a safety concern, but it would have to affect the way the glove feels and plays. I seldom actually reach into the glove to get the ball, so my concern would be that stretched web wouldn't release the ball the way I want it to. If the owner's been using it like that, he might have trouble adjusting to a new unstretched web.

The couple of PROBFBs I've had were way bigger than 12.25.
Click to expand...
The owner bought it used, so getting used to it should not be much of an issue. I have it all apart right now and just measured it. I'll post pics when I am done, but it's 12.25" running straight from the tip of the index finger to the heel and 12" running along the index finger to the binding closer to the thumb. When laced up and doing my usual measurement, I am pretty confident I'll be right between those numbers. If I had to say what the pattern reminds me of, I'd say either a Pro-6 or an RBG-36.
 
D

defos

Well-Known Member
Interesting. I have a 1994 catalog that lists them as 12.75", which is in line with the ones I've had. They also had a very wide heel, which is what turned me off on it. Now that I think about it, I might have had the Gold Glove Elite model. Should be the same pattern with different leather, with both shown as 12.75 in the '95 catalog, but maybe/probably the GGE was made in Philippines vs USA for the HOH. The few USA HOH I've had my hands on were smaller than the same model made in the Philippines.
 
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