Patent ID: 7313830

Claim:
A protective athletic glove, the glove having a thumb portion defining an inner palm side and an opposed outer side, the thumb portion comprising: a main thumb member including a sheath within which a wearer's thumb is received and having an inner side which defines said inner palm side of the thumb portion; a rigid outer protector disposed on said outer side of said thumb portion overtop a partial portion of said main thumb member, said main thumb member being articulated relative to said rigid outer protector such as to permit inward flexion of said main thumb member while preventing significant outward extension thereof relative to said rigid outer protector; and a rigid projection protruding from the outer side of said main thumb member, said rigid projection being received within a corresponding opening formed in said rigid outer protector when the main thumb member is fully outwardly extended relative to said rigid outer protector such that they are abutted along their length; whereby said rigid projection, when received within said opening, limits proximal displacement of said main thumb member relative to said rigid outer protector.