Book 28, Question 48
Why does a new baseball glove feel so stiff?
A new glove is made of stiff leather that hasn't yet bent into the shape of a hand.
Players soften it by catching balls, adding glove oil, and shaping the pocket, and this is called breaking in. As leather fibers stretch and relax, the glove folds around the ball more easily. A well-formed glove closes smoothly and traps the ball.