Rawlings Heart of the Hide Gloves

Rawlings’ Heart of the Hide series has long been an icon in the ball glove industry. For decades, big leaguers and youth players alike have looked down at their palm in between pitches to see the distinctive HOH steer logo, with its head low and a jet of steam blowing from each nostril, and felt ready to attack anything hit their way.

When Rawlings developed its first Heart of the Hide gloves in the 1960s, the idea was that the HOH logo would serve as a guarantee that you were playing with only the finest, most durable leather, and you could depend on its performance game after game. HOH became particularly famous when TV networks began broadcasting games nationally using on-field microphones. Many fans watching at home were able to hear the loud “pop” of the glove clear as a bell in their living room, and that sound quickly became associated with Heart of the Hide leather.

Rawlings only uses the best of the best full-grain steerhide to construct Heart of the Hide gloves. Steerhide leather is firmer – that means it takes longer to break-in, but it also holds its shape longer, performs better, and lasts longer. Heart of the Hide gloves only use leather cut from the middle of the back, which will always contain the most high-quality cuts of the hide.

This commitment to quality has made The Rawlings Heart of the Hide a go-to name for premium gloves: Once you form the leather to fit your game, you can use your glove for years and years.