In Praise of. . . The Yellow Mikasa Glove
Talking Balls
Years ago gaelic footballers hailed the appearance on the market of a new goalkeeper’s glove by Japanese manufacturer Mikasa. The glove featured a multitude of small black rubberised dimples embedded in the fabric - itself a good big thick yellow pile affair that carpeted and cushioned the hand. The benefits of the glove were manifold - indeed you could wear it either way round so, if you lost one you could wear the other one on your preferred hand.
Many’s the fella headed out to play begloved only in one Mikasa as if to say ‘I can bate ye with one hand.’ And, yellow hand arching skywards he would rise to catch or break the ball - the glove a beacon in the Spring sky. The Mikasa gave a nasty oul scobe too if the boy you were boxin with happened to be wearing one or two of them when he gave you a chop off the ball. The downside was the elastic down round the base of the wrist often gave up the ghost - usually after the repeated turning the gloves inside out like an oul pair of socks.
And, as football technology developed and outfits like O’Neills and PFS brought out fancier models the Yellow Mikasa seemed destined for the scrap heap and oblivion. Stylistically, functionally, fashionably and footballingly - it was f***ed.
That’s forgetting about one thing. The camogs that wear the Yellow Mikasa.
Yes, it has a cult following among the Camogie fraternity. The cushioned yellow pile protects delicate female hands from the real or imagined impact of the sliotar on flesh. The black dimples psychologically and possibly physically help your camog houl onto the ball. But it’s not any old camog will don the Yellow Mikasa. Nope, none of the fine young things competing in the All-Ireland series are Mikasa begloved - rumour has it that the likes of Fiona O’Driscoll, Stella Sinnot and Ger Manas banned the Yellow Mikasa from the dressing room as an abomination.
The Yellow Mikasa is now typically worn by the ‘legend’ approaching the twilight of her career who first obtained the glove when it was in its heyday. Or otherwise it’s the rugged slightly rotund growler that plays fullback, kitted out in bandana, Mikasa and maybe a strapping on the knee - legacy of some ancient injury for which she is still dispensing revenge. The sliotar pucked in, our growler will dunt the opposing bright young thing outta the f***ing road, and clearing opposition hurls with her own, will drive through the forest of ash hand outstretched to gather the flying ball in its inevitable home in the Yellow Mikasa - before driving it like blue f*** out over the sideline - anywhere in fact but in her own square. But the Yellow Mikasa may be due a return. Some of the bright young things like their retro and so in homage to days gone by they are seeking out the Yellow Mikasa online, in e-bay, in the dad’s kitbags and their mother’s knicker drawer.
So, the next time you see a yellow hand reach skywards for a ball at a camogie match, pay homage. To the Yellow Mikasa glove.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:45 pm
those things are still available to buy in cookstown!! you can get them in yellow OR RED!!! but only in X-Large check out Intersport!!!