A system and method for creating protective sports articles. The system includes a last. A liner of flexible material that defines a pocket is provided. A plurality of padding pieces are provided that each have a bottom surface and an adhesive disposed over the bottom surface. The method includes inserting the last into the pocket of the liner. The method also includes positioning the bottom surface of each of the padding pieces over the liner to engage the adhesive against the liner. The method further includes applying pressure to the padding pieces to bond the adhesive of the padding pieces to the liner to secure the padding pieces to the liner and to form a completed article. The method further includes removing the completed article from the last.

The present invention provides a lightweight glove for baseball or softball that may include an elastic backfinger to provide a conforming fit to the wearer's hand. In general, the elastic backfinger may replace existing, often leather backfingers, the back panel, the liner, and/or other elements of traditional gloves glove with the elastic material, combination of elastic materials, or combination of elastic and inelastic materials.

A thumb brace comprising a glove having a thumb portion disposed between a palm side and a back side and comprising a first attachment region positioned adjacent a base of the thumb portion and a second attachment region positioned on the back side of the glove; a first elastic strap having a first end, a mid-portion, and a second end, wherein the mid-portion is disposed within a cradle of the glove between the thumb portion and an index finger portion of the glove, the first end is releasably attached to the first attachment region, and the second end is releasably attached to the first attachment region, whereby the first strap extends a distal end of a thumb metacarpal bone of a user of the brace; and a second elastic strap having a first end, a mid-portion, and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the palm side of the glove and the second end is releasably attached to the second attachment region, whereby the second strap reduces a proximal end of a thumb metacarpal bone of a user of the brace.

A quick access shroud at least partially encapsulates a sport glove and/or a ball for storage and portability, while enabling facilitated access to the glove and/or ball through two uniquely positioned fastening mechanisms. The shroud is formed in a general shape of the sport glove, such as a baseball glove. A first panel and a second panel join together at a perimeter region. A section of the perimeter region is not permanently fastened to enable passage of the glove and/or ball through a perimeter fastener. The first panel comprises a central portion that detachably attaches to a central region of the first panel. A hole forms in the first panel when the central portion is detached. The hole enables quick access to only the ball. A central fastener regulates passage through the hole. An oil may coat the inner surface of the panels to lubricate the glove.

A short stop baseball mitt includes a cone-shaped body having a palm area provided with a first baseball-receiving section having an elastic and resilient circular indentation located at the anterior surface and spaced from the posterior surface, and configured to provide ball catching control, a thumb-receiving region located at the first lateral side and engaged with the posterior surface, an index finger-receiving region spaced from the thumb-receiving region and located only at the posterior surface thereby being spaced from the anterior surface, and a second baseball-receiving section including an elastic and resilient padded pocket located only at the anterior surface thereby being spaced from the posterior surface. The elastic and resilient padded pocket is intercalated between the thumb-receiving region and the index finger-receiving region while disposed anteriorly of the index finger-receiving region.

One or more aspects of the present disclosure provide articles of manufacture and components of articles that incorporate an optical element that imparts structural color to the component or the article. The component comprises a cured or curable material, and can include or be made to have a textured surface.

Embodiments provide a hand covering, such as a glove or mitten, with a retainer for holding the hand covering in a retaining configuration when not being worn covering the hand of a user. The hand covering may include a central hand portion, a finger receiving portion extending from the central hand portion, and a strap. The hand covering may extend generally in a longitudinal direction from a proximal side at the central hand portion to a distal side at the finger receiving portion. The central hand portion may define at the proximal side a cavity configured to receive a hand. The strap may be attached to an inside face of the central hand portion and extend generally lateral to the longitudinal direction. The strap may be separable from the inside face in between a first attached end and a second attached end to define a passageway configured to receive a hand.

A method includes anchoring a loop strap and a hook strap at a first surface of a rectangular arcuate panel proximate a first end of the first surface, providing a retaining element anchored to the rectangular arcuate panel, with the retaining element forming a loop, and providing an extension strap anchored to the rectangular arcuate panel proximate the retaining element to form a fielding aid accessory. The method also includes wrappably attaching the anchored first hook strap with the anchored first loop strap around a forearm of an athlete and securely positioning fingers of a hand thereof by way of the loop of the retaining element such that the forearm contacts a second surface of the rectangular arcuate panel. The fielding aid accessory is configured to be used by the athlete in two modes of operation based on a configuration of coupling of the extension strap.

A batting glove for baseball or softball may include a glove base and a reinforcement layer set. The glove base may include a palmar region, a dorsal region located on an opposite exterior side of the batting glove from the palmar region, a plurality of finger regions, a wrist region at a bottom of the glove base, and an ulnar border region. The ulnar border region may be located along an outermost edge region of the glove base following a length of the little finger region along an outermost side of the little finger region. The reinforcement layer set may be connected to and exterior of the glove base in a manner that covers at least a portion of each of (a) the palmar region, (b) the ulnar border region, and (c) the dorsal region.

The present invention provides a lightweight glove for baseball or softball that may include an elastic backfinger to provide a conforming fit to the wearer's hand. In general, the elastic backfinger may replace existing, often leather backfingers, the back panel, the liner, and/or other elements of traditional gloves glove with the elastic material, combination of elastic materials, or combination of elastic and inelastic materials.