Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

Hey guys, I've been a long time reader of the boards, but never had the urge to sign up until I found this beauty at a local thrift store. I know that it is a 60's(?) Spalding Roger Maris model. To me, it looks to be in pretty good condition with the exception of the wrist strap being a little worn down and also the binding on the web is pretty worn down. I also know that it is not the professional model, so I'm guessing some sort of signature model? Can anyone give me anymore information about it?


Also, can anyone give me any tips on how to clean the welting so that I can get it to look white again? Thanks

Hello, and welcome to the boards!

According to the 2007 Vintage Baseball Glove Catalog Source Book compiled and edited by our own softball66, Roger Maris was an endorser of Spalding gloves from 1960-1968. His "best" glove was the Personal Model, 42-201, 1963-1965, retailing at $42.95. That was the most expensive Spalding Fielder's glove in 1965. The Personal model changed numbers a couple of times, but it was always near the top of the Spalding price list.

Maris's other models were the Autograph, and the Professional, and interestingly enough in 1965, another Personal model that retailed for $24.95. Don't know what the differences were ... maybe some Spalding experts will come along and enlighten us later.

I did not find a 42-187 model listed in the Source. Having watched and listened long enough to discussions about gloves and catalog numbers in this forum, my suspicion is that the glove you have is a quality glove along the lines of a Professional or Autograph model, but numbered below the Personal model designation to indicate a less-expensive glove. That is certainly not to say it is not a quality glove; in fact, I think it is a great find!

thanks for the information. could you explain to me how the numbering coincides with the quality of the glove?

now i have to decide if i want to start the collection with this one or flip it for some profit because i'm guessing it's worth more than the $2.99 i paid for it.

The actual model numbers were just kind of arbitrarily chosen by the manufacturer. During any given year, a sporting goods maker might produce a couple of dozen different fielder's gloves. These would vary from expensive top-of-the-line gloves suitable for professional play, to cheaply made kid's gloves aimed at a beginning player.

It wasn't uncommon for star players to have multiple endorsed gloves issued each season, and those gloves would also vary in quality. Of course, the higher quality gloves are more collectible, not just because they were better made, but because there were far fewer of them sold making them harder to come by.

Judging by the pocket lacing on this glove, which is kind of a simplified version of the top-line "Trapocket" models, the 42-187 looks to be an inexpensive model- smaller in size than the adult gloves and using less padding, thinner leather and simplified lacing patterns. As a general rule, the "picture pocket" gloves, depicting a ballplayer in the palm, were usually aimed at the kid's market.

As a collectible, the price difference between the lesser-quality gloves and the "personal" models can be staggering. A top-line Maris glove in this condition might sell for several hundred dollars, while the lower quality gloves might sell for 25-50% of that.

Still, that is a nice old glove that has survived in good shape for over 45 years!