Special Order Gloves.

[mikesglove]

That's a nice one Greg!
This glove just sold on ebay for $35. It's a Rawlings Gene Woodling Playmaker model PW. It's unusual for the pocket lacing. In 1954-55 The top Playmaker models had no pocket lacing, including the Gene Woodling model PM1. in 1956 Rawlings introduced patented pocket lacing on the Playmaker models. By that time, the Gene Woodling endorsement had been dropped and Bob Turley was added as the PM1 model. The model PW was uncatalogued and I suspect it was a special order glove.

[mikesglove]

The Rawlings Bob Dillinger model BD glove was introduced in 1950. It was near TOTL and featured the Floating Heel.

From 1954 till 1957 the model BD featured a laced pocket and was designated as Custom Built.

The model BD was popular among MLB players. There are two I found that were special order gloves and designated BDX.
The first is a post 1954 Custom Built model and instead of a laced pocket, it features the older style Floating heel.

The second is a 1958 non-endorsed model BDX with Heart of Hide leather. The HOH gloves were new for 1958. Someone must have really liked the model BD pattern. It was discontinued after 1957. The glove below is attributed to Tony Kubek.

[greaseape]

Mike,
While Rawlings first offered Heart of the Hide gloves to the general public in the 1958 catalog, I've often wondered if some were available to the pros at an earlier date. I was looking at the Kubek BDX you posted on the auction site and noticed the remnants of a red Rawlings patch on the wrist strap. Impossible to tell if it is the 1957 patch or a later patch from 1959 and up. Definitely not the black/gold 1958 patch. While Rawlings dropped the BD pattern after the 1958 year (last listed in the 58 catalog) I've seen photo's of players using the BD in 1959 (an example is Clete Boyer from 1959 in the glove photos section of the forum which does not display the heart of the hide stamping). I've also seen heart of the hide gloves which feature the pre 1958 Rawlings red label such as the Haddix model below. Is it possible the Kubek BDX and the Haddix are 1957 models with the heart of the hide leather or do you think they are 58 models using left over patches from 57?

[mikesglove]

I thought about that. The auction implies that the glove was possibly given to the player in 1957 by Rawlings as an early promotion of the upcoming HOH models.
It seems to make some sense since the glove is non-endorsed and has the red label.

[mikesglove]

A 1962 Spalding Don Larsen model PM model 42-191 glove. 1962 was the time Larsen was playing for the Giants. The glove has writing on it indicating Larsen's home address in Morgan Hill, CA. just down south of SF. I guess the provenance of the glove didn't impress many bidders. It sold for $1237. The patent pending stamped on the glove could refer to the "Wrist Lock" or possibly the closed web. A lesser condition model by the same seller sold for $595.

[mikesglove]

This glove from ebay sold for $164. It's a TOTL non catalogued Spalding model 290-15 from 1938. There is an inscription on the back finger that reads "Best wishes always to Sonny ____ from your pal Dizzy____" . Dizzy Dean made a habit of putting a quote mark inside the loop of the D. A lucky glove find for someone.

Spalding made a few non catalogued strap web models in that time period.
Model 222-90018

Professional model

Tony Piet Model

[mikesglove]

Here's a Spalding Dick McAuliffe Personal Model 42-181 glove. Spalding had a low end retail signature model in the mid 1960's. This glove is touted as being an Ernie Banks gamer. The glove looks like an infielders model.

[mikesglove]

I found this photo of Don Wert who played for the Tigers from 1963-70. The Bolling PM 42-207 only shows up in their 1961 catalog. In 1962 it became the 42-205 with different heel lacing and the web changed to the one used on Rawlings' Mantle XPG6. It looks like Spalding kept him supplied with that same style glove throughout his career. That's his 1970 baseball card. The photo of his unused glove came from an interview he did in 2008 where he talked about the 1968 WS champion Tigers.









1961 catalog

1962 catalog

This Spalding Don Wert personal model 42-207 sold at auction for $646. It came with a letter of game used Provenance by Wert.

[mikesglove]

Here is another photo of Boyer with the model 42-207 circa 1969. Can't quite make out the endorsement but looks like "Frank Bolling". Just click on the photo to zoom in.

A funny and early photo of Boyer with an unendorsed Rawlings model BD.

[mikesglove]

From ebay. A 1970-72 Rawlings XFB1-H glove. The front looks like an XPG6 pattern but the back doesn't look like any Fastback model in the catalogs. It's not just the H-web, it's the holes on the forefinger and thumb that lace the web. It's like Rawlings took an XPG model and redesigned it as a Fastback.

[mikesglove]

Brett's rare Wilson A2000 glove with H-web. It has some features of a 1962 model; Beefed up crotch lacing, skip laced pocket, hold tite wrist and rectangular tag. There is a pro stock number on the back near the web. A pretty cool glove.

[mikesglove]

A circa 1959 Rawlings XPG7 prototype glove made for Mickey Mantle. No "Trapeze" stamping. Certain players on Rawling's advisory staff were given new models to try out prior to production.

[mikesglove]

A Rawlings model RSP-67 glove purported to be a Maury Wills gamer from 1967. Quite bit different from the discontinued RSP model from 1961. The one piece web and L-heel stand out.

[okdoak]

Another player with the Spalding Don Wert PM. Gene Michael was with the Yankees from 1968-74.

[mikesglove]

Cool photo Greg.
here's a couple photos of Bud Harrelson in 1969 with a model 42-207=X glove outfitted with an H-web