What does spit mean in "spit in my glove" from the memoir by Powers? Literally spit? An excerpt from "My Glove" by Katherine A. Powers: > I walked around (out of sight of the house) with the glove tucked under my arm, wishing I could shove it in my back pocket like boys did in books, but of course my pants, when I was allowed to wear pants, had no pockets because my mother had made them. I wished I knew where to get neat’s-foot oil, not available at Woolworth’s, but no one I could confide in knew anything about that. Another thing I could not do, I might as well confess, **was spit in my glove.** I could direct the occasional **spitting** noise at the pocket, yes. But shoot **a gob of spit** right in there and work it in like you read about? No, I couldn’t. I don't believe "spit" is literally spit, which doesn't make sense to me. So what's the meaning beneath?

The meaning is literally 'spit':

> Spitting for baseball players is like blinking; it's going to be a tough habit to break. It's not even just spitting on the ground. You know, a lot of us have routines and habits — you know, you spit a little bit in your glove before a pitch. It's got to be a conscious effort from everyone. And, you know, we're going to have to do our best. The Current

> Saliva is also used as a lubricant to break in a stiff new baseball glove. Though studies prove that the practice is bad for the glove, both pros and amateurs continue to spit into their glove to soften the leather. The Indian Express