Laser’s Gift

When you point to my cap and ask, "You actually play baseball?", you best expect daggers back.

Because I know where this is going and I'm not about to suffer “adulting shame” from any thinly veiled fool.

And if I reply with, "Maybe...", know that's more of a dare to press forward and clarify intentions than any invitation. But if you respond to that gauntlet with an earnest, "Do you want to?", then, well, -damn- you've certainly had the jump on me all along. Flat-out catch me off guard and find me just standing there for far too long in an awkward suspension of confusion.

The sure-fire way to cut me to senseless ribbons.

Relaced with varying widths of lace provided by Flatbill Baseball Company (3/16", 3.5/16", 1/4”) and skived (thinned) where appropriate. Changed web lacing style from stock ‘X’ pattern to pro preferred, ‘Doubled I-Bar’ pattern.

This is how I met my dear friend, and this Restory is only just part of how he would go on to help save my life. And this gift is partly how I'd like to even approach trying to repay him for that.

Deep clean and 3 stage conditioning with Ballplayer Balm products.

Michael's the founder, and in hand with his partner Paula, both tireless keepers of RVA Sandlot– A co-ed, all inclusive baseball league he began 9 years ago (2012) on a nearly forgotten school field in shambles at a nearly forgotten school that shutdown at least twice for being perpetually in shambles. Over the course of time, he nurtured the group from thinly numbered, poorly supplied Sunday afternoon gatherings to umpired games with full equipment that meet at least twice a week. Including a night game under the lights. All booked solid with a mounting waiting list within hours of posting the event. He's also created an advisory board, which I’m honored to hold a continuing role, to help guide the league and long ago earned the trust of the field overseer through his diligently led field upkeep. Guy was quite literally handed the keys to the field and discretion to use the stadium lighting when he saw fit.

Thick paddy of palm adhesive extracted and thin layer of GluvLuv oven-heated glove grease applied.

Through it all, he's been nothing short of selfless in order to make the group as happy and inclusive as possible. He and Paula have found a way to balance and incorporate this open inclusion into play itself by making sure every person present, regardless of talent level or experience, has an equal chance to play without any competitive discouragement. From former pro-level players to people from foreign nations that have literally never touched a baseball in their lives, he's found a way to bring them all into the fold by focusing on spreading the joy of the game at it's core. The very ideal that springs to mind from 'Sandlot'.

But there’s a problem…

Oil-tanned rawhide leather palm pad cut to follow Rawlings 'Dual-Core' system. At 5oz in gauge pad is about 3oz thicker than what Rawlings generally offers yet loses no ‘play’ of mitt. 5-8oz range is a standard mod for elite level catchers.

He's often too selfless. As with the mid-level mitt he bought for himself but never actually uses himself at his catching position. Instead, he opts for the far lesser donated mitt because he simply wants others playing the position to have the best experience possible. Allow me to clarify 'far lesser': It's a youth sized thing and for years it was held together by zip ties and incantations.

All that changes now though.

Because Laser deserves it.

All-Star is a glove company specifically regarded for their catchers mitts. They are considered the pinnacle of quality at the position and the 'Pro-Elite' series is the very top of their entire line. To flesh that out a bit, it's estimated that at any given time there are 30-40 All-Star 'Pro-Elites' being used across all active catchers in MLB. Maybe not a very telling figure in itself, but... there are only 60-70 catchers in total across all active MLB rosters at any given time.

Found this piece on FB marketplace and I guess as kismet tends to go, it was being sold by someone with ties to Sandlot. He got back in to baseball by attending Sandlot games and mentioned the league helped rekindle his joy for the game. Since then, he now primarily plays in very competitive wooden bat leagues but likes to drop back in every once in a while to experience that fundamental joy Michael has worked so damn hard to curate and maintain.