Baseball gloves presented a new challenge for the doctor's unique leather crafting abilities.  In 1987, he set out on his own to pursue this new endeavor.  John golomb Legacy began as a baseball glove repair company.  Soon John discovered that the mitt relining aspect of his service was nationally unique and separated him from the other repair businesses.  Quickly, the company became associated with fine restoration work.  Many of the best glove collectors were now sending their mitts for repair.  As more and more gloves arrived, it became quite apparent to John that gloves made by major companies, purchased at sporting goods stores, were no longer made with the same quality they once were.  The mitts that were coming in to John Golomb for repairs made in the last few years, were noticeably inferior as compared to the same models made in previous years.  This can be attributed to the fact that gloves sold in the U.S.A. are now mostly imported products.  For this reason it may be concluded that in an effort to keep prices down and volume up, the name brands have cut corners and diminished their quality.  There can be many other reasons for poorer gloves being produced today, for example, lighter softer leathers used to ease break-in and proliferation of man-made materials or vinyl substituting for full grain leathers.

The most tragic example of this neglect is the Wilson A2000 models.  The A2000 was arguably the finest mitt in the field.  Wilson's A2000 revolutionized the design of post-war gloves and for many reasons became one of the most popular.  Its imported impostor is a sad shadow of its former self.  Most of the restoration repairs The Sports Doctor does are of these older A2000s.  Relining of these truly valuable gloves is well worth it. Doc admires the design of these older A2000 gloves and their high quality.  Because of his admiration, he began to make replicas incorporating all the best design and material qualities of the A2000.

As a result, Golomb began making a complete line of gloves, including some original designs. Hundreds of makes and models have come through Pastime Preservation Repair Service, enabling him to compile a century of know-how. As many mitts as possible have been photographed, examined, patterned and replicated. This accumulated information has made it possible for John to make extremely accurate replicas of mitts for his Pastime Replica Baseball glove line using just a photo or pictures from catalogs. The most popular requested replicas are from the pre-war years, however, interest in 1950's and 1960's models is rapidly growing. Popular models include the Wilson Ball Hawk (3 finger), Rawlings Playmaker (4 finger) and Rawlings XPG-6 (Mickey Mantle Model). Many of John's Pastime Replicas have found their way into thousands of homes, fields and props for movies, ads and commercials.

Golomb boasts one of the largest selections of glove models (over 500 patterns starting from the late 1880s) available from one maker including a traditional Trapeze web design and America's only ambidextrous model.  

Legacy Boxing

by John Golomb

The Sport of Boxing

Boxing, “the sweet science” is a much maligned sport, greatly misunderstood and under appreciated.  It has produced some of the most dramatic and controversial moments in sport history.  It has been largely the domain of the underclass.  Long before the multimillion dollar sports athletes of today, boxing has been and continues to be a beacon and lure of hope. It has been the stepping stone from generation to generation as an opportunity for advancement.  Boxing has been at the core of community improvement providing an alternative to the street and a conduit to self control and discipline.  Today there are thousands of mostly independent boxing gyms where the price to exercise and better improve the body is still in reach of all the masses.  All around the country are hundreds of local regional athlete associations that support and promote the advancement of boxing.  The raw primitive seduction of the sport entices our basic essence of human competition and remains as compelling and popular as ever.  It is enjoyed by women as well in ever rising numbers. At the core is a decent, honest pure spirit.  Just ask anyone who participates in it.

The Equipment

At the heart of the sport is the boxing glove.  The unremarkable boxing glove has been a patent fixture of the sport for more than a hundred years.  Moreover, it was the simple glove that elevated a savage back room and back alley playing host to mostly illegal contests--into a legitimate and hugely popular sport.  It was the boxing gloves that took the edge off the brutality and softened the spectacle.  The boxing glove is perceived as a shock absorber somewhat lessening the impact of blows.  Through the years both subtle and dramatic improvement and advancements in safety have advanced the sport immensely.  Contrary to popular belief, boxing is one of the safest sports in the world.

The Craft

The forces of the global economy are not only a threat to good jobs but it has brought on a crisis that is causing the extinction of unique and particular local regional material sources and crafts.  Globalization in its present form is like a giant machine that is buying and squeezing the small local regional craftsmen, artists, materials, suppliers and manufacturers driving them out of existence.  It threatens diversity and most devastating is the lost and extinction of the unique culture and original regional essence.

Would a Havana Cigar taste like a Havana Cigar if the tobacco weren’t grown in Los Angeles and the cigar were rolled in Singapore?  Would a Stradivarius violin sound as good if it were made by Lou Smith of Idaho?  All over regional intellectual properties and basic craft know-how is being wholesaled out to the lowest bidders.  Sadly, the product  may  never be the same again. The uniqueness of  regional and culture can never be transported.  Future generations will have nothing to compare quality to and they may be the lesser for it.  Are we really improving and making our lives better for it?

The Legacy and Our Mission

The Legacy Boxing Glove stands apart from other gloves because it is continuing in the advancement of the science and technology of the sport of boxing.  We will never be satisfied with simply good enough.  We will always look for and pursue improvement and excellence.  The Glove represents the combined knowledge of nearly ninety years of expertise.  It will assure the continuation of our specialized suppliers and vendors and our production know-how which comes from the unique experience of the Legacy NYC, NY factory.    Even though boxing gloves can be made anywhere all over the world the Legacy Glove can only be made in NY City (period).   Why would anyone expect the boxer to risk everything on just any glove?  It is our continuing mission to provide the highest quality service that was and will  be the hallmark of the company.

The Legacy Continues…EverAfter                                                                  The Legacy continues with quality products from John Golomb

For more information about gloves, John Golomb Legacy Pastime Preservations Service, Glovedr@aol.com.

John Golomb LEGACY
Pastime Preservations
3, 2nd Street  #1
Brooklyn, NY 11231-4801