George Rawlings and the Glove That Helped Change Baseball

An elusive St. Louis entrepreneur and a revolutionary partnership transformed a crude hand accessory into baseball’s most sentimental tool.

A modern outfielder secures a fly ball with a padded leather glove, a piece of equipment that has evolved dramatically since baseball's early days. Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

Long before televised World Series games and multimillion-dollar endorsement contracts, baseball gloves were crude, stiff accessories that players could barely trust. During the late 19th century, fielders often played barehanded or wore thin leather gloves that resembled work gloves more than sporting equipment. Baseballs arrived hard and fast, stinging palms, and splitting knuckles.

Into that situation stepped George Rawlings, a St. Louis businessman whose company would become one of the most recognizable names in the sport.