From Buck to Pudge: The Evolution of Baseball's Catchers Mitt 1888-2015

By Richard Macaluso

(Full Color Version) In the summer of 1888, Kansas City Blues catcher Joseph Gunson designed and put in play the first padded catcher's mitt. The mitt, along with the style of catching, has changed greatly since that summer. "From Buck to Pudge" is the first detailed study of the evolution of the mitt from the time of Gunson and 19th century Hall of Fame catcher Buck Ewing until the late 20th and early 21st centuries when Pudge Rodriguez was the premier catcher in baseball. Over 350 mitt and player photos and illustrations enhance the text that was developed through extensive research over several years.Whether you are a baseball historian, glove collector, or interested baseball fan, you will enjoy the journey from the days of the two-handed/barehanded catcher of the 19th century to the one-handed/hinged padded mitt catcher we see today. Explore through time the principal features of the professional models, the experimental model designs, and the prominent major league catchers who used these models. Special topics of interest include the catcher's mitt used in the Negro League and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the impact of World Wars I and II on the production of gloves and mitts, and the histories of the major glove manufacturers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1523924365
• ISBN13: 9781523924363
• Release Date: May 2016
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 0.4" x 8.5"