This post is meant primarily for the single mom with a son who is new to Baseball and has a new Baseball glove. A Baseball glove is not ready out of the box or off the shelf so to speak. The Internet is loaded with ways to break in a new glove so I thought I had better toss my two cents into the array.

Whatever you do, do not stick it in the Microwave!

Somehow, somewhere along the way my son acquired a fairly new Rawlings Baseball Glove, I am not entirely sure where it came from but it needed broken in I had noticed after his first baseball practice two weeks ago. It has a nice curved shape to form a new pocket in but boy is it stiff and his little hand could barely squeeze it shut.

After searching the WWW for any new breakthroughs on this subject and there were not, I went to the grocery store and got some KIWI Outdoor Saddle Soap to start with.

First, I made sure the glove was clean, which it already was. Next, I applied a thin coat of KIWI all over the glove while concentrating on the pocket. At this point, it is tempting to take a hair dryer and melt the KIWI into the leather, but do not do this. I repeat do not do this as it can damage the glove to the point of needing to buy a new one, and you will be out the price of a new glove AND still have to break it in.

Instead, take an old clean cloth diaper you may still have on hand or any clean soft rag for that matter, and liberally Wet one corner. Take the rag to the glove at the pocket and work the KIWI in while working out to the thumb, fingers and heel of the glove while working the KIWI into lather. Slowdown and work the lather into the glove and when it has worked in rinse the cloth diaper out and dab at the KIWI polish tin to get some KIWI back on the cloth. Again, start at the pocket on both sides and work the KIWI into the leather. The leather may be dry and drink it up readily. After working over the whole glove and both sides, take a softball and place it in the pocket and fold all the fingers around the ball; next take an old belt that can cinch down small and cinch it around the glove holding the ball. Thrn set it aside out of the sunlight for 24 hours. After 24 hours remove the belt and ball and take a clean cloth diaper and clean up (rub in) any KIWI residue.

At this point, throw a ball into the pocket or play catch until 50 balls are caught. Rework the pocket and glove with KIWI then cinch it up another 24 hours while holding the softball. Repeat playing catch then repeat the KIWI cinch and catch cycle until you like the way the glove feels.

Soon the glove will be a cherished old friend!