Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

A friend of mine sent me an article from "VFW" (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Magazine covering baseball players who served during the Civil War.
i.e.
"Another Pennsylvanian who served a 100-day enlistment in 1864 was Douglas Allison. He joined Company L. of Pennsylvania's 192nd Infantry on July 12 and muster out, Nov. 11. Allison later for baseball's first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, in 1869 as 'one of the finest catchers in the country,' according to "The (New York) Clipper.
During Allison's 12-year baseball career, he was the first recorded player to use protective gear for his hands when he donned a light pair of buckskin gloves on June 29, 1870.

Nice to have a little more background on the man who introduced the glove to baseball.

Hi Joe,

Thanks for sharing that info on Allison. Good find.

Dave

Here is a photo of Doug Allison, star catcher with the Cincinnati Red Stockings, among other teams. There may be a photo of his buckskin gloves from the Hall of Fame, but I couldn't find it.


Below is a photo of Allison's hands, pretty broken up. No wonder he wanted to don gloves back in 1870 to protect an injury

Mike, Thanks for the pics. Those hands have fought a couple of battles it looks like. The civil war and behind the home plate.

Dave