Very Unique Mark Grace Walt Disney Mitt story

[gracecollector]

Hi all, I run the website www.markgrace.com and am a huge Mark Grace fan and collector.

One of my most unique items is the 1st baseman's mitt pictured below.


The mitt has an interesting history. In 1995, when the Angels were purchased by the Walt Disney corporation, Disney exec's had the idea to create their own branded line of sporting goods. They worked with Wilson Sporting Goods to create some prototype private-labeled gloves. Years later, a Wilson executive involved in this venture saw my website and let me know about a glove he had. He told me that 2 gloves had been created for Mark Grace to wear in a promotional photo shoot. He wore one glove, and there was a backup. He still had the backup, and that's the glove above that I purchased from him. Around 1995, when Disney bought the Anaheim Angels, the company considered manufacturing its own line of sporting goods with the assistance of Wilson Sporting Goods. According to a Wilson company representative, two of these gloves were produced. One was given to Grace to use in a publicity photo session. The glove pictured above was the backup for that session, and was acquired directly from the Wilson associate it was given to after the session.

A Disney "Mouse Ears" logo and Mark Grace's name in blue are embroidered on the outside thumb. The inside features a stern-looking profile Mickey Mouse head burned into the leather. It is a Wilson Model 1883 Pro-Back model, left-handed of course for Mark Grace. It has a unique "Angry Mickey" logo burned into the pocket, Mark Grace stitched on the thumb, and a "Mouse Ears" sewn patch at the base of the thumb. I later had the glove autographed in person by Grace, and he told me that he remembered the photo shoot and the glove.

What's really interesting is that I just heard from the collector that has the other glove, the one Grace actually wore at the photo shoot. He sent along pictures. It's interesting to note there are slight variances in patch placements, so technically my mitt is unique instead of a 1 of 2. This glove shows use, so it holds up the story.

Thought you all might enjoy seeing these photos. Thanks for reading. Although I don't ever plan on selling it, I'd assume that rabid Disney collectors fighting over it with baseball fans would fetch me a pretty penny at auction.

[dcgreg25]

Really interesting piece with a great story. Congrats!

[Bondsgloves]

I once had a JT Snow glove that was one of his last mitts from Anaheim that he brought over to the Giants that had the wilson logo the leather was cut like mickey mouse ears logo. I had never seen another.