Rawlings Fielding Gloves Dot Code Breaker???

[CampWest]

The Bubba Trammel glove and Mike Kelly glove both do NOT have a date code nor a dot code.....

Any suggestions?

I've seen a handful of gloves from that time frame, that appear to potentially be custom pro shop ordered gloves, that do not have any markings. The dedicated glove collectors say they don't exist, but yet there they are. Some claim the dots will raise up and fade over time and use, I dunno about that entirely. I would not be too worried about the lack of date code, though it is nice to have them on there as a sort of validation or to narrow the date range down.

BTW, FWIW, I ordered a custom Rawlings St Louis Custom Shop heart of the hide glove just last year and it has no date code stamping. Point being gloves are still coming out of certain Rawlings factories with no date codes.

[camarokids]

I've seen a handful of gloves from that time frame, that appear to potentially be custom pro shop ordered gloves, that do not have any markings. The dedicated glove collectors say they don't exist, but yet there they are. Some claim the dots will raise up and fade over time and use, I dunno about that entirely. I would not be too worried about the lack of date code, though it is nice to have them on there as a sort of validation or to narrow the date range down.

BTW, FWIW, I ordered a custom Rawlings St Louis Custom Shop heart of the hide glove just last year and it has no date code stamping. Point being gloves are still coming out of certain Rawlings factories with no date codes.

Thanks Wes.

Bubba signed with his #21 and he only wore #21 with the Devil Rays. Plus I bought it from a seller who lives where the Rays play. I have a pic of the original owner with Bubba and she is holding the glove. Like you say it would be nice to have the code....

[flota89]

This may be a dumb question ... But what about a pro glove distinguishes it from a glove that just anyone can order? Is it the date code? I've noticed that store model gloves sometimes have four letters followed by numbers while pro gloves seem to just have four letters (BBEH for example). I just wanted to see if anyone knew any good ways to tell a pro glove from one anyone can order. Thanks!

[CampWest]

This may be a dumb question ... But what about a pro glove distinguishes it from a glove that just anyone can order? Is it the date code? I've noticed that store model gloves sometimes have four letters followed by numbers while pro gloves seem to just have four letters (BBEH for example). I just wanted to see if anyone knew any good ways to tell a pro glove from one anyone can order. Thanks!

Some gloves have a 29 after the date code, this means its a Phillipines factory, an 01 is USA Horween. A lot of gloves won't have a number. I don't think the codes provide any conclusive way of determining if a glove is retail vs pro stock. Its my understanding that most major and minor league players order through Rawlings Pro Department, but I don't think aside from anything they obviously customized (ie their name stitching, etc) that there is any conclusive 100% way to distinguish a pro custom from a retail custom.

[camarokids]

I will Post this link again of Rawlings gloves listed as "Game Issued" on eBay. There are multiple gloves of some of these players too. Still would love to know how so many of them are out there now.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_trkparm...4.l1513&_pgn=1

Here is some great reference material on Rawlings gloves from HRKing:

Since I know many of us use this old post as a reference point, including myself, I figured I would update it with much of our gained knowledge of Rawlings gear. Since the new USA models done by Bob through Eastbay kind of go by his code, I will leave them out. So here goes:

Rawlings glove codes: (Excluding stock model pro preferreds such as a PROS15TCB or a PROS17ICB etc.)
This is from my first hand knowledge: Pretty much every Rawlings model can be made 1/4" larger or smaller than its book size.

Anything with a 217-____ is usually an 11" glove
Anything with an 88-____ is usually an 11.25" glove (Very narrow with the double heel lace)
Anything with a 200-____ is usually an 11.5" glove
Anything with a 201-____ is usually an 11.75" glove
Anything with a 12-____ is usually a 12" glove (Basically replaced the old PRO1000)
Anything with a 1000-____ is usually a 12.25" glove (Used to be well known 12" model)
Anything with a 504-_____ is usually a 12.5" glove
Anything with a 301-_____ is usually a 12.75" glove (not as deep/ wide as a PRO302)
Anything with a 302-_____ is usually a 12.75" glove
Anything with a 303-_____ is usually a 12.75" glove (more narrow and long compared to a PRO302)

Personalized Glove Codes:
PRONP- Neifi Perez Model. NP2- 11.25 NP3- 11.25 (modified conventional back), NP4- 11.5, NP5 11.75 NP12 12"
PROAK- Adam Kennedy Model From 11 to 11.25 to 11.5
PRODJ- Jeter Model. Mostly all 11.5" Wide and flat pocket. Somewhere between a PRO200 and NP4
PRORV23/ AR13- Usually 12 1/4" with deep bowl pocket and shape. Has hinged thick single post.
PROTROY25- Troy Glaus gamer- Typically runs 12" with a narrow and flat pocket shape. Has thicker single post web.
PROTROY11- Small pattern Glaus glove. Usually 11- 11 1/2 with I-Web.

Web codes (Numbers only, no TC for mod trap or IC for I web conventional back ect):
EG: 200-1 Single post web
1- Single Post Web (Very narrow; About two laces shorter across the top of the web compared to others)
2- I-Web
3- Basket Web
4- Modified Trapeze
5- Single Post Double Bar (Sizemore/ Abreu web)
6- H-Web
7- (Can't remember)
8- Solid One Piece
9- Solid Two Piece
10- (Can't remember)
11- Basket Connector
12- Rawlings version of the Dual Hinge

Color Codes:
B- Black
N- Navy
R- Royal
P- Primo/ Burgundy colored HOH (Not Horween leather to our knowledge)
T- Tan
C- Chocolate Brown
Any special one off colors or awkward combos will often be denoted by an "SO" for special order or just left blank at the end unless there is a special leather used. For example the Red Pedro Martinez model. PRO200-4J. Its Red Japan HOH. The Brown Pro Preferred's come marked as "SO" from my experience. Also, plain tan gloves will come as a PROXXX-X.

Leather Codes:
Anything with a "K" is pro preferred leather. PRO200-6K
Anything with a "J" is Japanese HOH PRO200-6JB (Black Japan HOH)
Anything with a "TL" is Oil treated Tan PRO200-4TL
Anything with an "M" has a mesh back PRO201-3JBM
Anything with a "DC" has the dual core tech PRO502-3DC

Blackhorse dating system. Works for Pre 1998 and Current 4 letter dating system.
B1
L2
A3
C4
K5
H6
O7
R8
S9
E0

BEER=1008 or October 2008
KBB= 5/11 or November 1995

Dot System:
2 Dot- 2002
1 Dot- 2001
5 Dots- 2000
4 Dots- 1999
3 Dots- 1998

Well known Special Make Up Retailers:

Ballgloves.com- Sells many older models in the hard to find via retail all Tan Dry HOH leather as well as special gray/ navy PRO200 models.

Baseball Express: Special Russet colored Pro Preferreds as well as the original split black/ camel "JA" series.

Chicks Sporting goods- Well known for carrying gloves like the PROAK and PROTROY11 models as well as some split Camel/ Black Pro Preferreds like the PRO303-6JAKBPRO. Also has been known to carry PRO200-4K's and some other PRO issue style gloves, if not directly from minor league camps.

BUMP for glove collectors!

[camarokids]

Now a question for modern gloves, say post 2010.

Are they still using the Blackhorse code?

[bigwill17]

I have a question for glove collectors. The black Rawlings El Duque has the markings and labels that have been listed in the post to help authenticate it but the tan one does not. I also know that over his career El Duque used black gloves for all that I remember and eventually changed to TPX. However seeing athletes warm up I have noticed before they sometimes use gloves that aren't their gamers. Should I assume this tan glove might have been one for Orlando to try since I found a card with him using a similar one or that it is a fake since it doesn't seem to have the proper tagging.

[camarokids]

Players will get four, five or more of the same glove to use. In 2007, I got to tour the Devil Rays clubhouse. Scott Kazmir had six of the same Nike gloves in his locker.

[camarokids]

bump

[gobills123]

Some gloves have a 29 after the date code, this means its a Phillipines factory, an 01 is USA Horween. A lot of gloves won't have a number. I don't think the codes provide any conclusive way of determining if a glove is retail vs pro stock. Its my understanding that most major and minor league players order through Rawlings Pro Department, but I don't think aside from anything they obviously customized (ie their name stitching, etc) that there is any conclusive 100% way to distinguish a pro custom from a retail custom.

Oh but there is my friend.
Materials, glove options (web, hand swen welting etc, deco/full mesh) and that little long tag rather than the rgear custom tags... all dead giveaways.
That being said, it did get tougher for the avg collector not into gloves to tell after they started taking the extra 'pro' out of the model stamping