Outfield RH Nike Diamond Elite Baseball Glove 12.75" (Used)

A beautiful, beautiful baseball glove. This Diamond Elite was the first high-end premium glove Nike produced back in the late '00s and early '10s. 'Twas the era when Nike Diamond Elite gloves ruled the league and were worn by top players, including Mariano Rivera, Drew Stubbs, Chris Young, Jered Weaver, Stephen Strasburg, Matt Garza, Jeremy Hellickson, Craig Kimbrel, and Mat Latos. The last photo I have posted for this glove is a signed game-worn glove of Mariano Rivera (THAT GLOVE IS NOT FOR SALE! I just put it there to show its the same pattern!). And you can see its pretty much the same pattern and design, of course his was the customized and super premium pro version. After this glove was produced, Nike started making different variation of the "Diamond Elite" for different consumers. They basically fell into 3 tiers. The top end was the legendary Diamond Elite Pro ($400), then came the Diamond Elite Show ($225-250), then the Diamond Elite Select($125-150), finally the Diamond Elite Edge($50-75). The main difference between the first-generation Diamond Elite the and the Diamond Elite Pro (aka the DEP) was that it was made with 1st Gen was make with steerhide leather instead of kip leather and it was actually stiffer, sturdier and had greater structural integrite than the 2nd Gen Diamond Elite Pro. For the DEP, the focus more on comfort (easier break in) and luxury (kip leather). A good but imperfect analogy is probably the difference between Rawlings Pro Preferred and Heart of the Hide gloves. The original first-generation Nike Diamond Elite were built with heavy, stiff steerhide and featuring a signature leather-reinforced palm liner, it prioritized long-term pocket integrity and rugged durability over quick break-in times. To sum it up: the first-generation Diamond Elite assumed you were an old-school ballplayer who wanted to spend two months beating a glove with a mallet to mold it to your hand. When Nike introduced the second generation (Pro, Show, Select, Edge), they gave in to modern consumer demands. They thinned out the heel pads and used softer hides so players could buy a glove on a Friday and play a game with it on a Saturday. If you appreciate a stiff, heavy, Bulletproof build, the Gen 1 will absolutely out-survive most of the Gen 2 DEP. As for this particular glove, it has been used but doesn’t feel like it. To be honest, I don't even feel like the previous owner gamed it. Doesn't feel like it because it hasn't even been broken in really. This thing is a sturdy, beautiful black beast! So, if you are looking to pick this thing up, I'd recommend you be ready to break out the mallet, cause you are gonna need to to get it softened up enough to play with it. If you are into gloves in general, there is a great video on these early Diamond Elite by the "@pvdglovebros". Definitely worth a watch and its a great channel in general if you happen to be a glove nerd like me! Any questions let me know!