Rawlings Suing Wilson Over Brandon Phillips Glove

Caught Gold Handed

In a rhubarb between baseball heavyweights, Rawlings sued Wilson in Federal Court, claiming that the glove Wilson made for Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips violates Rawlings Gold Glove trademark.

St. Louis-based Rawlings Sporting Goods created the Gold Glove Award in 1957 to recognize defensive excellence in Major League Baseball. It is given annually to one player at each position in the National and American Leagues. Gold Glove winners also get a special Rawlings baseball glove “that includes metallic gold indicia on the glove itself.”

Rawlings claims that Wilson this year started a promotion in which Brandon Phillips plays baseball with a glove “with metallic gold-colored webbing, stitching and lettering that was manufactured by Wilson.”

“Not only is Mr. Phillips using the infringing Wilson glove in the field during games, warm-ups, and practices, but defendant and Mr. Phillips also have promoted the very existence of the glove (and its connection to Wilson) through various channels and media,” the complaint states.

Rawlings wants Wilson enjoined from distributing any glove that contains “gold webbing, gold-colored fabrics or leather, gold lettering, gold stitching, any other metallic gold-colored material, or any other features that are confusingly similar” to Rawlings’ Gold Glove trademarks. It also seeks damages for trademark infringement, unfair competition, trademark dilution and false advertising.

Phillips is not a party to the complaint.