The Finest in the Field®: A History of Baseball Through 50 Iconic Gloves

Ed Wheatley tells the history of baseball through fifty gloves drawn from the Rawlings collection. Detailed photographs and accompanying essays place each glove in context, alongside archival player images, period advertisements, and memorabilia. Selections include Christy Mathewson's glove from the 1905 World Series and models associated with Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays's "The Catch," and Derek Jeter's "The Flip."

Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench contributes the foreword. The oversized hardcover also documents the Gold Glove Award, established by Rawlings in 1957, with a complete list of winners, player quotes, and short vignettes.