The Finest in the Field(r) - by Ed Wheatley (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The gloves themselves are the stars in this rich history of baseball's most memorable fielding moments, as curated from Rawlings's unmatched collection.

Highlighting fifty gloves as touchstones of baseball's most storied players and plays, this book pairs a gallery of sumptuous glove photography with essays to place each glove into its historical context. The treasury also features archival photos of the players, period advertisements, and other memorabilia.

Baseball's history comes to life with famous gloves, including Christy Mathewson's 1905 glove worn during the greatest pitching performance in World Series history (and the first glove in the National Baseball Hall of Fame's collection); Jackie Robinson's glove worn when he broke the segregation barrier in 1947; and Mickey Mantle's glove worn for the 1956 catch to preserve the only World Series perfect game. Other gloves are immediately connected to plays so famous they have their own monikers: Willie Mays's "The Catch," Derek Jeter's "The Flip," and Ken Griffey Jr.'s "The Wall Banger."

Throughout the book--which features every Gold Glove Award winner--are quotes from players and vignettes calling out special moments.

This book will be compelling to fans, players, historians, and collectors. Students of the game, from all generations, will now truly own a piece of baseball's rich history.

About the Author

Ed Wheatley is an award-winning author and film producer. He has earned Sports Collectors Digest's best book published on baseball, and his films have all been selected for the National Baseball Hall of Fame's film festival. Founded in 1887, Rawlings Sporting Goods is the number one baseball brand worldwide and creator of the iconic Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 1957.