Interesting Opportunity

[BretMan]

I'm a Bob Feller fan because I'm a Cleveland Indians fan!

I got to meet Mr. Feller at an Indians spring training game in Winterhaven, Florida last year. I had no idea that he would be there signing autographs and chatting with fans during the game or I would have taken one of my Feller gloves for him to sign.

Just the other day I was thinking that it's been a long, long time since I've seen a buckle-back Feller glove for sale. The 1636 mentioned was on my eBay Watch List and looked like a nice glove. My favorite Feller glove in my collection is the split-finger J.C. Higgins 1621.

[softball66]

B. Man, in the glove " fire sale " that I purchased was a Feller Higgins buckle back. It was the one gloves with a little fire damage (rest had smoke and some water spots likely from firemen's hoses). It's a nice one with Feller's name in gold stamping on a pretty color leather. It's at the Sports Doctor's right now for ammending and repair. I think it's only the second I've ever seen in person. Will let everyone know when it's back in the house.
Also in the group was, for me, a rare Phil Rizzuto Spalding personal model. Lacing was missing or broken on a lot of it with heel unhinged. Also at the Sports Doc's.

[glove-works]

I had a very nice 1636 that I sold last year....I haven't seen but one since.....probably should have kept it?

[Bleacher Bum]

I have noticed that Bob Feller was a big endorser of Wilson gloves, however the new replica gloves being put out by Akedema claim that the JC Higgins 1636 is just like the one Bob used in the 50s?? Being a rookie glover, I guess I am confused a little...

The buckleback Feller glove sounds awesome! I hope to see pics when it's done.

[softball66]

Not sure at what Akadema was hinting at except that Higgins glove might a "type" of glove (era) that Bob used. He used the Wilson top of the line gloves for sure as photo comparisons show him wearing Wilsons.
I'll get a picture made of the buckleback Feller for us to look at. Hope to have it back in a couple of weeks.

[BretMan]

I always thought it was odd that while the historical evidence shows Feller to have used Wilson gloves during his career, there are relatively few Feller endorsed gloves compared to the number of J.C. Higgins models.

The Catalog Source Book and Autograph Glove Finder show only a couple of Feller endorsed Wilson models, but about a dozen different Higgins models. It seems that a Higgins (Sears) model was produced just about every season during Feller's career, yet only a very few Wilson models were ever released.

I don't really recall ever seeing many Feller endorsed Wilson models, compared to the many Higgins gloves I've seen.

Do any of you have a Wilson Feller glove in your collection?

[softball66]

Very few store model Wilson Fellers, especially in comparison to the Sears Higgins. Probably part of his Wilson contract as Bob was poster boy for Wilson along with Ted Willams during the same time frame. Feller knew how to market himself. Similarly Williams also was on a lot of Higgins as Wilson, who was making the Sears gloves. Williams eventually dropped Wilson for Sears and had his own name on the gloves and lots of other Sears sporting goods products, replacing Higgins.
Stan Musial had a similar arrangement with Rawlings and through Rawlings, Montgomery Ward. Musial later went directly to Wards at the end of his career.
I forgot to mention on that Feller buckleback, most of the buckle was missing which was strange considering the overall good condition of the glove.

[Bleacher Bum]

Well I met Bob Feller last weekend at his museum in Van Meter, Iowa. What a nice gentleman! He really seemed to take a liking to my 8 year old son. He sparked conversation with him, took us around his museum and showed us pictures, uniforms and gloves he used. He even let about a dozen of us inside early because it was cold and raining. This allowed me to discuss the glove a little. He stated that he did use Wilson gloves and actually had a nice picture of him and the founder of Wilson in one of his displays (Joe, you were absolutely correct). However I did notice that his Opening Day No-Hitter glove was a split finger Rawlings. I hope to put some pics up of our experience soon.

Don Larsen, on the other hand, was not as personable. He said about two words, but did take a nice photo with my son.

In all it was a nice visit and I came away with the glove being autographed by Mr. Feller, a baseball signed by Don Larsen, and wonderful memories of meeting a baseball legend and genuinely nice human being!

Brad

[oldballfan]

I had hoped to stop at the museum on the way to Kansas and Missuri to the the Negro League Museum and then to a family wedding a couple of years ago. However, the wife nixed that idea and told me chose one baseball related side trip....so off to Kansas City we went. And I have to agree, Bob Feller is a true gentleman. I had the opportunity to meet him in Chantilly Va. the other year at a show, and the man is extremely personable, unlike some (the majority?) of modern athletes.

[V-Anchored]

In the summer of '61 I lived in Chesterland, Ohio which is on the east side of Cleveland. That summer Bob Feller was coaching a kids baseball team that had a game scheduled with one of the Chesterland teams. I was standing behind the team bench (Bob's team) prior to the game and the home plate umpire walked over and held out 2 baseballs for the starting pitcher (Bob's son) to choose from to start the game. One ball was brand new and the other one had been used. The kid chose the brand new one and headed toward the mound. As he walked away, Bob turned to me and said with a smile "I would have taken the scuffed one". I always though it was neat that he let the kid make his own choice and not interfere. After the game I was able get him to sign a color photo from Sport magazine for me. He was as nice as could be.

[Kenwel]

At the time Feller was playing, JC Higgins was being made by Thos. Wilson Co. Wilson had signed Feller and most of their popular players names were "borrowed" by the higgins brand. More then likely, JC Higgins sold more Bob Feller glove Wilson did.