Mizuno has also impressed us with their limited release for the month of July. Mizuno went all out to honor Hall of Fame inductee, third baseman Scott Rolen. Rolen was a Mizuno guy for most of his 17-year MLB career. That Mizuno leather helped him add 8 Gold Glove awards to his all-time record in The Show.
Mizuno knew they had to do something special when creating the Pro Limited MZP-527 to commemorate Rolen’s HOF career. This 11.75″, classic reborn beauty of the “Legend Drop” is the epitome of a classic glove.
The main appeal of the MZP-527 is undoubtedly the retro look. Since 2005, Mizuno gloves have featured their bird logo. For the first time in almost two decades, the “Big M” will once again grace a football glove. Appearing on the same hand as I-web, the Big M logo is iconic and will surely bring many of us back to simpler times.
Despite its familiar appearance, the MZP-527 is far from just a beauty queen. Made in Mizuno’s renowned Haga factory, its craftsmanship is unparalleled. That high level of attention to detail is complemented by Deguchi steerhide leather, some of the finest leather in the world.
MZP-527 represents the “restoration” of football gloves. In the world of cars, a restomod is a classic car that has been restored but with modern technology. Consider a ’69 Mustang with a new engine and modern infotainment system. MZP-527 brings the same concept to diamonds. This timeless look from the beginning of the 2000s is combined with the latest technology, technology, and methods that Mizuno has continued to do well for many years.
The attention to detail goes beyond architectural skill. Each glove features a limited edition palm stamp – the date Scott Rolen was enshrined in Cooperstown. The throwback continues past the Big M logo and extends to the pinky “Made in Japan” stamp and the “Limited Edition” stamp on the thumb. All of these are time-correct when these gloves would have been worn by Rolen himself. Even the model number represents Rolen’s work. 527 falls in third place, 5, including the number most closely related to Rolen, 27.
Pro Limited MZP-527 will be released on Mizuno USA Sunday July 23 to coincide with the opening ceremony of Rolen. The MZP-527 isn’t cheap at $600 but it represents one of the best retro gloves we’ve seen and something truly unique from Mizuno. Despite the high price, the US will only get 27 units (17 in Canada) so it won’t last long.
This ancient beauty contrasts well with the wildness KM Flow pitchers piece Mizuno dropped last month. Stay tuned as limited releases from Mizuno continue to arrive.