Abstract: A baseball or softball glove constructed to maintain the ball-catching pocket and to facilitate closure of the glove having an inverted V-shaped notch generally located at the center of the heel. The inverted V-shaped shaped notch assists in the opening and closing of the glove by creating a flex line extending up from the apex of the inverted V-shaped notch generally midway between the sides of the glove and through the ball-catching pocket.

Abstract: A baseball or softball glove constructed to facilitate closure of the glove. The glove is designed readily to flex along a flex line extending up from the heel of the glove, generally midway between the sides of the glove, and through the ball-catching pocket of the glove. The heel of the glove has little or no padding at the flex line to facilitate closing of the glove along the flex line.

Abstract: A baseball glove, mitt, or the like having a thumb stall, a finger stall spaced from the thumb stall, and a web secured to and extending between the thumb and finger stalls, the web comprising two outer plies of a flexible material and an inner ply of a resilient material sandwiched between the outer plies. The outer plies have a plurality of aligned openings therein arranged in a pattern to define generally radially extending spokes and concentric generally annular crossmembers in the outer plies, the openings exposing the inner ply of resilient material. Stitching extends along the generally radial spokes and around the concentric generally annular cross members, securing the plies together.

Abstract: A baseball catcher's mitt having front and back walls secured at the periphery of the mitt to form a mitt body. A back panel member is secured to the back wall of the mitt for substantially covering the back of the hand. The back panel member and body of the mitt having unconnected lower edge margins defining a hand opening at the bottom of the mitt through which the hand may be inserted up into the mitt between the back panel member and the back wall of the glove. A pair of laterally spaced slots extend up from the lower edge margin of the back panel member. These slots are expansible in width to enlarge the size of the hand opening and contractible in width to reduce the size of the hand opening. Independently operable quick-operating mechanisms are provided for adjusting the widths of the slots and for releasably maintaining the slots at their selected widths.

Abstract: A baseball or softball glove comprising front and back walls joined together to form thumb and finger stalls, a web between the thumb and the first finger stall, upper lacing interconnecting the thumb stall, web and finger stalls at their upper ends, and lower lacing interconnecting the thumb stall, web and finger stalls between their upper and lower ends. The lower lacing comprises a plurality of reaches of lacing lying in generally parallel planes extending generally at right angles to the finger stalls and spaced at intervals along the finger stalls, each reach running continuously along a curvilinear path, as viewed from above the glove, through openings in the thumb stall, web and finger stalls. The depth of the web relative to the thumb stall and the first finger stall and the spacings between individual finger stalls are readily adjustable by tightening or loosening the reaches of lower lacing.