Rawlings patents continued-1942-43 "Trapper"

[mikesglove]

I selected the Latina "Trapper" to treat separately because there are a several different patent designs and variations. Mike Johnston's collection of "Trappers" is essential to include and there are side stories and amusing anecdotes. The story of the "Trapper" may begin with "Hammerin" Hank Greenberg, first baseman of the Detroit Tigers. In 1938 there were no rules about the type or size of a base mitt. Hank concocted a mitt that looked as big as a catchers mitt with a fishing net attached! A local scribe wrote this about the mitt. "The glove has 3 lengths of barbed wire, 4 corners, 2 side pockets, a fish net, rod and trowel, a small sled, a library of classics, a compact anti-aircraft gun, a change of clothes and a pocket comb." Pretty funny stuff! By 1939, rules were put in place by MLB limiting the sizes of gloves and mitts and thus ended Hank's experiment. It was a fortuitous time for Harry Latina and why he was so highly regarded as an inventor because by 1941 He revolutionized the basemitt with his "Trapper" design, replacing the older "Oven Mitt" style

1940 "Oven Mitt" style basemitt

"Trapper" basemitt

Circa 1942 "George McQuinn" T70 model. Note the one piece back

"Hammerin" Hank with his new "Trapper" mitt

[mikesglove]

The one piece back design of the early "Trappers" evolved into a three piece back model, possibly to keep material costs down.

"Rudy York" model T75.

This 1943 "Trapper" variation below shows a unique continuous "T" web design.

Even though the "Trapper" fell within the size limits spelled out by MLB, players would bend the rules and loosen the lacing around the web to increase the surface area of the mitt. The Latina patent of 1953 stopped that practice with the "Web Controller" strap.

circa 1954 "George McQuinn" model T80

[mikesglove]

site double posting

[mikesglove]

Joe was mentioning "work around" designs for companies wishing to circumvent patent infringement issues by manufacturing a feature that could work around another companies existing patent. The two gloves posted here could fit the bill as far as "working around" the Rawlings Trapper patent. The George Reach mitt below features the "ghost of the claw" with one side of the web solidly filled in with the only outline remaining. This is a real interesting mitt and I tried to find more information on "The Snagger" but to no avail. I think the design is pretty cool.

The next mitt is the Nokona BM82 "The Latch" model. One side of the web is cinched tight to the side of the mitt and perimeter lacing also connecting it to the side making it for all practical purposes fixed.