Abstract:
The baseball glove organizer provides a systematic location for players to store fielding gloves and/or other personal equipment while batting. The organizer comprises a relatively large backing sheet having a series of pockets attached to the front surface thereof, with the pockets each having a size and volume sufficient to contain at least a baseball or softball glove therein. The pockets also include schematic or graphical representations of the playing field, with the fielding position corresponding to each pocket being marked on the field representation. The name of the position may also be indicated, along with the scoring shorthand for the position as an aid to younger players. The organizer is secured to any suitable surface, e.g., backstop, fence, etc. for the game, with players removing their personal equipment when the game is over. The organizer is then rolled or folded for storage until needed for the next game.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates generally to sports and athletic equipment. More specifically, the present invention comprises various embodiments of a portable storage device having a series of open pockets therein, and providing for the removable storage of the baseball or softball gloves and/or other equipment for a baseball or softball team.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     More and more people, both adults and younger persons, are becoming involved with various team sports. As interest has developed in these various sports, various articles of specialized equipment have been developed for players in order to facilitate their play of the game, and/or to provide some advantage or edge for the player during the game. Examples of such specialized equipment are specialized cleated shoes and special gloves in the sport of baseball, which equipment is also used in softball and is even finding its way down to the initial training level of play in T-ball.  
         [0005]     Players must of course keep track of their equipment during the course of play, as they periodically move from defensive play in the field to the dugout or sideline awaiting their turn at bat. While many articles of equipment (e.g., shoes) are worn continually throughout the game, fielding gloves must be removed when coming in from the field and donned again when players return to the field. With perhaps up to twenty players (in a softball game) simultaneously removing and donning gloves between each half inning of play, it can be difficult for players to keep track of their equipment. Even at the lower levels of play, gloves are not an inexpensive item, and the loss of a glove can be financially painful to a player, particularly a younger player who may be financing his/her participation and equipment in the game through an allowance or low paying part-time job after school.  
         [0006]     Thus, a baseball glove organizer solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The baseball glove organizer comprises a relatively large sheet of heavy-duty flexible material (e.g., canvas, vinyl-coated fabric, etc.) having a series of pockets attached to the front surface thereof. Each of the pockets has sufficient size and volume to contain at least a baseball or softball fielding mitt or glove therein, with one pocket being provided for each member of the team and including a coach position for a nine-player baseball team. Each pocket (possibly excepting the coaching position, where provided) also includes a description (graphic or schematic, as well as text) of the specific fielding position for the player using that specific pocket, and may also include scoring shorthand for the position. The device is temporarily secured to a backstop, fence, or other suitable structure for the duration of a game. When the game is over, the gloves and/or other personal equipment are removed by the players, and the empty organizer is rolled or folded for storage until needed for the next game or practice.  
         [0008]     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an environmental elevation view of a baseball glove organizer according to the present invention, showing its use.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a detailed elevation view of the organizer of  FIG. 1 , showing further details thereof.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a detailed elevation view of a second embodiment of the present organizer having ten player position pockets, being adapted for softball. 
     
    
       [0012]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]     The present invention comprises various embodiments of a baseball glove organizer for the temporary placement of fielding gloves or mitts, and/or other athletic equipment, therein during the course of a game. The present organizer greatly assists players, particularly younger and/or less experienced players, in keeping track of their equipment (particularly gloves), and also serves as a training or teaching aid for the various playing positions and their scoring abbreviations or shorthand.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  of the drawings provides an exemplary environmental illustration of the present ball glove organizer  10  in use, with  FIG. 2  providing a more detailed view of the device  10 . The organizer  10  includes a relatively large backing sheet  12 , e.g., about two and one-half feet high by four feet wide (other dimensions may be used as desired). The backing sheet includes a series of ten essentially identical fielding glove pockets  14   a  through  14   j  thereon, in a matrix of two horizontal rows each having a series of five pockets therein. Other configurations may be provided as desired.  
         [0015]     Each pocket  14   a  through  14   j  is configured to hold at least a single fielding glove therein, e.g., the catcher&#39;s mitt C of the pocket  14   b,  pitcher&#39;s or fielder&#39;s glove F of the pockets  14   a  and  14   d  through  14   i,  and/or a first baseman&#39;s glove B of the pocket  14   c.  The tenth pocket  14   j  allows the coach of a nine-member baseball team to place a glove or other equipment therein, as desired. The backing sheet  12  and pockets  14   a  through  14   j  are preferably formed of a durable material, e.g., a heavy duty canvas material or the like having a closed weave, heavy-duty vinyl-coated fabrics, either natural or synthetic, etc. as desired. Such materials hold up well to the wear and tear likely to be encountered by such equipment, including the effects of sunlight and other outdoor weather phenomena. Such materials may be provided in virtually any color desired, e.g., black background with white lettering for good legibility, or may alternatively be provided in team colors or other colors as desired.  
         [0016]     The backing sheet  12  includes a series of structural attachments  16  extending therefrom for securing the device  10  to a fence, backstop, or other suitable structure. The attachments  16  may comprise a series of eyelets or grommets disposed about the periphery of the backing sheet  12  with a corresponding number of elasticized bungee cords extending therefrom, with each of the cords having a hook at the distal end thereof to hook into the conventional chain link fence or backstop structure. Other attachment means may be used as desired, e.g., rope or cord, wire or cable, mating hook and loop fabric (e.g., Velcro®) straps, etc. Alternatively, the backing sheet  12  could comprise a rigid panel (e.g., plywood, etc.), but flexible fabric material is preferred for folding the organizer for storage.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  provides a more detailed view of the glove organizer  10  of  FIG. 1 , including the configurations of the glove storage pockets  14   a  through  14   j.  Each of the pockets includes an open upper edge  18 , devoid of any form of closure means. This allows players (and the coach, where applicable) to quickly and easily access and store their gloves as required, during the limited time between inning halves as sides are changed between the field and batting. The pockets  14   a  through  14   j  may have a substantial depth extending for the majority of the height of each row along the backing sheet  12  in order to more completely secure the gloves therein, or may be somewhat shallower to facilitate the placement therein and removal of gloves therefrom, as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 3  and discussed further below.  
         [0018]     Each pocket  14   a  through  14   i  includes a representation, or graphical image, of the corresponding fielding position for the player using that pocket for the storage of his or her glove. The representations  20   a  through  20   i  are distinguished from one another by the specific player position shown thereon, with all of the fielding positions required for the play of the game being provided for on the pocket series. The fielding position representations  20   a  through  20   i  each include a schematic representation of at least the infield portion of the playing field, i.e., representations  20   a  through  20   f  for infield players, with outfield positions being shown on the schematic representations  20   g  through  20   i.  The general location of the player assigned to that position is indicated by a dot or mark on the schematic representation.  
         [0019]     In addition, each pocket  14   a  through  14   j  may include the name or title, respectively  22   a  through  22   j,  of the fielding position (or coach, for the pocket  14   j ), for further clarification. Finally, each pocket  14   a  through  14   i  may also include the scoring shorthand or abbreviation, respectively  24   a  through  24   i,  for that position, e.g., “1-P” scoring designation  24   a  for the pitcher&#39;s glove pocket  14   a, “ 8-CF” designation  24   h  for the center fielder&#39;s pocket  14   h,  etc. These scoring symbols  24   a  through  24   i  are conventionally used when recording the play of a game to note which players were involved in a given play. Generally, only the numbers are used, with the numerical order for the positions being conventional. The inclusion of alphabetic abbreviations with the numerical positions facilitates recognition of the numerical positions and their order on the score sheets.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  provides a detailed illustration of an alternative embodiment configured for use in playing softball. The softball glove organizer  110  is configured essentially identically to the baseball glove organizer  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , excepting the field position representations on the pocket series, as the positions differ slightly between softball and baseball. It will be seen that the softball organizer  110  may also be used at the beginning level for very young players in T-ball and coach pitch, if so desired. The organizer  110  includes a backing sheet  112  and a series of pockets  114   a  through  114   j  thereon. The backing  112  and pockets  114  may be formed of the same materials as described further above for the baseball organizer  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A series of structure attachments or fasteners  116 , similar to the corresponding components  16  of the organizer  10 , may be provided along the edges of the backing sheet  112 .  
         [0021]     The softball glove organizer  110  of  FIG. 3  also includes a series of ten pockets  114   a  through  114   j,  arranged in two horizontal rows of five pockets each. It will be noted that the pockets  114   a  through  114   j  of the embodiment  110  of  FIG. 3  are somewhat lower or shallower than the corresponding pockets  14   a  through  14   j  of the embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The depths of the pockets in either embodiment may be adjusted as desired. It will also be noted that the upper edges  118  of the pockets  114   a  through  114   j  are elasticized, in order to provide more positive retention of gloves and/or other articles placed therein. It will be seen that the upper edges  18  of the pockets  14   a  through  14   j  of the baseball glove organizer  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  may be elasticized as well, if so desired, or alternatively, the elastic could be omitted from the upper edges  118  of the pockets  114   a  through  114   j  of the softball organizer  110 .  
         [0022]     The series of pockets  114   a  through  114   j  for the softball organizer embodiment  110  also each include a schematic representation or graphical image, respectively  120   a  through  120   j,  of the playing field and corresponding position for the player using each given pocket, as in the baseball organizer embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . However, the outfield positions differ from those used in a nine-player baseball team. In softball, the center field position is eliminated, and two center field positions are provided, i.e., left center field  120   h  and right center field  120   i.  The addition of an extra outfield position results in a total of ten players, with the coaching position being eliminated. It will be seen that a ten player softball team may be formed using other positions in lieu of those shown in  FIG. 3 , e.g., a second right shortstop position with three outfielders, or other team configuration(s) as desired.  
         [0023]     As in the baseball glove organizer embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the softball glove organizer  110  may also include the title or name of the position, respectively  122   a  through  122   j,  for each of the corresponding schematic representations  120   a  through  120   j.  The scoring notation abbreviations, respectively  124   a  through  124   j,  e.g., “8-LC” position  124   h  (for the left center field position) and “9-RC” position  124   i  (for the right center field position) may also be provided with the schematic representations  120   a  through  120   j  on the corresponding glove pockets  114   a  through  114   j.    
         [0024]     In conclusion, the present baseball glove organizer in its various embodiments provides a much-needed means for players to temporarily store their gloves (and perhaps other small accessories) conveniently during a game. Traditionally, gloves and other accessories have been tossed aside by the players whose team is at bat, perhaps in a dugout or along the fence where they may be misplaced or stolen. The present glove organizer eliminates this problem, and moreover provides a diagram of each playing position for the corresponding glove pocket of the device. This feature greatly assists younger and less experienced players in learning the game, thus reducing the academic teaching required and providing more playing time to develop the physical skills required. The use of durable fabric materials for the present organizer allows the device to be rolled or folded to a relatively compact bundle for storage between games. Accordingly, the present baseball or softball glove organizer in its various embodiments will prove to be a most desirable and helpful accessory at the amateur level of the sport.  
         [0025]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.