Baseball Glove Designer. Major league baseball teams called Latina "the Glove Doctor." He was the retired chief glove designer at Rawlings Sporting Goods Company in St. Louis. Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, he was a gunner for the Navy during World War II. He worked for Rawlings at its St. Louis headquarters for 39 years until 1986 and designed two major trademark features in today's gloves--the closed-back glove with an index-finger opening, and the basket web. In the 1970s, he worked with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench to design a new catcher's mitt when the Cincinnati Reds catcher kept his throwing hand behind his back while he caught. The designer's father, Harry "Doc" Latina, also worked at Rawlings. At one time, father and son held about 90% of all baseball glove patents in the United States. The Latinas' glove designs were used by Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle, Brooks Robinson and Roberto Clemente, among other professional baseball players.
Baseball Glove Designer. Major league baseball teams called Latina "the Glove Doctor." He was the retired chief glove designer at Rawlings Sporting Goods Company in St. Louis. Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, he was a gunner for the Navy during World War II. He worked for Rawlings at its St. Louis headquarters for 39 years until 1986 and designed two major trademark features in today's gloves--the closed-back glove with an index-finger opening, and the basket web. In the 1970s, he worked with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench to design a new catcher's mitt when the Cincinnati Reds catcher kept his throwing hand behind his back while he caught. The designer's father, Harry "Doc" Latina, also worked at Rawlings. At one time, father and son held about 90% of all baseball glove patents in the United States. The Latinas' glove designs were used by Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle, Brooks Robinson and Roberto Clemente, among other professional baseball players.
Bio by: Connie Nisinger
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