Rico Gloves was started in August 2010 by Tony Ross Maddi a former professional baseball player in the Houston Astros system.  (Pictured to the far right is Tony Ross Maddi (Rico owner) with Pro Player Jimmy Mojica)

Today, we are going to interview the owner Tony Ross Maddi about Rico Gloves.

Why did you start Rico Sports, LLC aka Rico Gloves?

Tony: I started Rico Gloves because I wanted to try to make the best customized glove available at a reasonable price. I think we have a great customized pro glove at a great price compared to other brands that do custom gloves. Another reason I started Rico gloves was because I never had been an entrepreneur. I was an athlete and a teacher so I never thought I could start my own business. I really admired entrepreneurs who have taken the chance to start something from the ground up. It's a big risk. I really believed that I could start a business even if people doubted that I could do it. I just believed I could do it.  I knew gloves from my background in pro baseball and knew a custom glove company could work intially with the right leather, glove patterns, logo, name, and price point. The customer service would also be top notch because I would be the one answering customer questions. The third reason I started Rico Gloves was to stay involved with baseball at the professional and amateur levels. Baseball is a game I love and if I couldn't play then the next best thing to playing is owning a glove company. Coaching at the professional level would also be cool too. 

How did you decide on the name Rico ?

Tony: Honestly, I was looking for a 4 letter name that would look good on a glove. Something that was a short and catchy name that appealed to the general American public but also had a Latin flavor to it. I knew that a long name on the wrist of a glove would not show up very well. I was thinking through a lot of names and Rico came to me and fit the 4 letter criteria. Rico also happens to be my mother in laws maiden name. I am very happy I chose Rico for the name and have no regrets. I think it stands out and means rich or high quality in Spanish which also fits perfectly with the gloves that we make. 

Who made the Rico Logo?  It seems to be fairly simple but attractive.

Tony: I actually made the Rico logo on my computer with logo maker software. I had the Rico name and went through all the fonts until I found the perfect font that I liked. I showed the font to my daughter Maria who was 16 at the time. I knew she would be honest with me about liking or disliking it.  She told me that she really liked it and I could tell by the look on her face that she thought it looked good. I added the star over the i in Rico and left it alone. 

Who has helped out the most with Rico Gloves? Did you do this by yourself?

Tony: If it wasn't for all the people that have supported Rico Gloves then we would be nothing. Yes, we have a good product so that helps tremendously. I have not done this alone. I owe a lot of thanks to Jeff Kelso and a lot of customers like Jeff Grego, Stacy Paul, KC Longhorns, Rico Rangers, Mac and Seitz Royals, MNS Red Sox, and I can't name them all. I just want to thank all the people that have supported Rico Gloves in the past and going forward. I really appreciate it and THANK YOU!!  

Did you make the Rico website? If not who does your website?

Tony: In the very beginning I did my own website then I realized my website creation skills were lacking. lol. A friend of mine that I knew told me about a program that would give me the ability to control what I wanted on my website so it was user friendly but would also make it look professional. Michael Zambelli's runyourwebsite.com is great way to run your website without knowing a lot of html and you can change things yourself as you go. I actually have gone further with him building an awesome website with the design and glove customizer. I want to thank Michael Zambelli and Lowell who have worked on my website. I really don't want people to know about them because I want to keep them busy for the Rico Gloves website. lol :)  Just being honest. 

What kind of leather is used in Rico Gloves?

Tony: We only do pro grade leather. That means we don't do any plastic or synthetic gloves. We only do leather gloves that would be most suitable for pro players. Top Grain Leather, Steer Hide Leather, or Kip Leather. We are getting into Kip leather more now and we are improving this area as we go along with the company. You won't see any lower end plastic or synthetic gloves from Rico Gloves while I am the owner or anytime soon. :) 

Who is your right hand man with Rico Gloves?

Tony:  My right hand man and person I talk the most with about Rico Gloves is Jeff Kelso. Jeff is a former pro ball player with the California Angels. Jeff's Dad Bill Kelso drafted me to play pro baseball. Jeff is a good friend and has helped promote and sell Rico Gloves. He loves baseball and gloves. Jeff knows a lot of people because he owns and operates Kelso's pizza in North Kansas City, Mo. He also has a great personailty and is very outgoing. Mr. Kelso will always have a place with Rico Gloves and I will repay the favor when the time comes for all the time he has helped me. My right hand woman is my beautiful wife Tara who helps out a lot when we go setup at games and tournaments. 

What are you doing with Rico bats?

Tony: We have decided to take a step back from wood bats and concentrate on what we do best. If we get back into bats it will probably be a top quality aluminium alloy bat. We want to make sure all Rico products from gloves to bats are the best quality and don't want to start a line of products that doesn't live up to the Rico name. Our wood bats were good quality but we didn't want to take away time from our custom glove line. 

What does the future hold for Rico Gloves?

Tony: Time will tell but we have many goals still to accomplish. We want to continue to market and make our brand more recognized.  It takes time but with social media the word spreads fast. I think we have done well in this area. I think our next phase is to get more exposure in person at tournaments, and baseball facilities.  We have a plan to distribute gloves more nation wide. A plan is in place to accomplish all the goals we have set and we look forward to the challenge!!