Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

There was a great looking two-finger Wilson on ebay a few days ago the patent was 1947. An earlier model patented by Wilson in 1945 features a one-finger design. Does anyone know about this model from a catalog or have a picture of it to upload? Pretty interesting design. Kind of harkening back to the fielder's mitt design at the turn of the centuryEarly 1900's fielders mitt below

I just sold a decent Terry Moore Wilson 2 finger on ebay. The 2-finger gloves seem to do well but were NOT FUN to catch with unfortunately.

Mike, I had one but sold it on eBay a few years back. Got 32 bucks for it. Couldn't convince people that it was not a softball mitt despite knowing otherwise. I even got a nasty e-mail from someone on eBay who thought I was trying not to disclose it as a softball glove. I even had the patent.

JD

JD, thanks for posting the pictures. I thought maybe Wilson gave up on the design and never manufactured that model, opting for the two finger instead. I couldn't find any Wilson catalogs from the mid 40's to check it out. Too bad about the $32. It is actually a pretty rare mitt.
Mike

I know, bummer huh. The problem is that rarity doesn't mean anything if there isn't any demand (spoken like a true Econ major). I've had a bunch of rare gloves that nobody wanted and the prices always reflected that. If there aren't any buyers, then the price will remain low so I don't go for rare anymore. Rare is overrated. Go for demand. Mickey Mantle gloves prove this. Gloves in high demand still result in high prices despite the surplus. With glove collecting, I have learned to throw all my econ knowledge out the window.

JD

If you obtain something rare, make sure it's at least shiny. But remember too, all that glitters is not gold. Perception is not reality. Sorry about these bromides.
JD is right. Demand for and willingness to pay and better yet!!-- two people earnestly wanting what you have.

Hi Guys,

I like the rare, the unusual, the funky the cool. If it is a one finger glove that would be very cool, but the patent describes it as a baseball mitt. I like it regardless and would offer 32 plus dollars to whoever has it now. Who knows maybe these will draw some more appeal as time goes on.

JD, let me know if you see another one of these. LOL

Dave

I guess my conjecture was the patent referred to a fielders mitt and not specifically to a first baseman's mitt. I wonder how JD viewed his mitt. Maybe he could provide a model number? I was thinking it possibly would be in the fielders glove section of the Wilson catalog. I don't know, maybe I should be drug tested! There is a Wilson on ebay now that is close to his mitt with some key differences. JD's mitt is a button back and has the web of a fielders glove. The mitt below, model 563, is in the first basemitt section of the Wilson Catalog. It has a laced wrist strap, perimeter lacing all the way around and the tunnel webbing. It also looks like an earlier mitt.

Hi Mike,

Good observations. Almost seems to be a hybrid of sorts. Maybe they couldn't decide if they wanted to design a glove or a mitt so took a little of each. LOL

Dave

I am now the owner this oddity. I am in agreement that it was probably a hybrid mitt of some kind. I have never seen another or anything even similar to this glove. I had thought about the possibility of it being a pitchers mitten....there were already experiments with the shortened finger Special Pitchers models made by Goldsmith to help conceal the ball in the glove. These is no and was never any stamping of any kind on it so it would be very hard to trace if this was ever made into a production model unless it appeared in a catalog at some point. The quality of the glove is very high with thick leather as well as heavy leather piping. There are also no finger stalls up inside like a basemitt would have had it truely is a one finger glove. Hopefully one day someone can put this to rest and find out what this glove is.

That is interesting that there are no finger stalls inside. That little mitt just gets more curious! I would be interested if you know more about the Goldsmith pitchers model gloves. What years? If they were a glove or a mitt?
Mike

This is from the 1938 Goldsmith catalog. Not sure when they started making them or when they stopped. They don't seem to surface very often.

thanks for the pictures! The Goldsmith models are great looking gloves. I haven't seen examples of these. I can see the shortened first and second finger extending the pocket. The triple tunnel web also helped to conceal the ball. Did the pitchers model start with the Doak "Kenworthy" model with short fingers and large pocket area?
Here are some other gloves stamped "Pitchers Model" in the palm.

This Dazzy Vance model has the solid web to conceal the ballReach "Lefty Grove" model. A large glove with a big pocket. The Rainey trap web would help conceal the ball.1950's Wilson "Lefty Gomez" "Professional Pitchers Model". Another large glove with a big pocket area and the triple tunnel web

Here are pics of the two Goldsmith Pitchers Special models that were produced. Pretty hard to find and some of my favorite gloves that were made during the 30's.

Hey guys,

Cool gloves and I enjoy looking at them too. thxforthebp or Mike, if you have an interest in trading on the Dazzy style solid web or the funky single finger glove/mitt ? drop me an email at cunninghamd1707@yahoo.com and maybe we can work out a trade of some sort. I still am trying to finger out the finger mitt glove or whatever though. LOL Cool!

Dave