Shohei Ohtani’s baseball glove for the LA Angels home opener featured a nod to a classic New Balance sneaker, as reported at Footwear News.
For the game, New Balance and Wilson create a custom glove for Ohtani. New Balance said in a statement that Wilson master glove craftsman Shigeaki Aso collaborated with Ohtani to design the New Balance glove. It is modeled on Wilson’s A2K line of gloves that are made in Japan, and is made with Tan Pro Stock Select Leather and Double Palm Construction to meet Ohtani’s demands.
What’s more, New Balance said the glove will feature an embroidered 574 shoe on the wrist. The embroidered shoe, the brand explained, is a nod to Shohei’s relationship with New Balance that extends beyond baseball.
“I used a prototype of the glove during the World Baseball Classic tournament and it helped me achieve my dream of bringing the world title home to Japan,” Ohtani said in a statement. “The details on the glove are a way for me to live freely in baseball and have fun with product.”
Also, New Balance said Aso designed Ohtani’s glove with a tailored wrist strap for a secure fit while fielding and pitching, and to meet his requests for a stiffer glove that would not shift while playing, the glove designer included high-grade wool inserts in the thumb and pinky, as well as a modified palm liner with improved grip.
New Balance announced it had signed Ohtani to an endorsement deal in January. Terms of the multiyear apparel and footwear deal were not disclosed.