![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/58c86154-317f-41c2-904a-bde3e2323e86_zps86b52d09.jpg)
Australia has its own Australian Baseball League. It was recently formed with partial financing through MLB. The ABL has its roots in the rivalry between state based teams started in 1934 with the championship team awarded the Claxton Shield. Beautifull looking award with each winning team inscribed on the plaque.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/f7721875-9879-40e5-bd1d-03c4f10243d7_zps6df70034.jpg)
Below is a photo of a player of the 2013 winning team, the Canberra Calvary with the Claxton Shield.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/b9d8e73e-b43e-4d13-ab19-30ab56e7e82c_zps07ae1ea4.jpg)
It was written that baseball in Australia had its roots in the 1850's when American prospectors came to the country lured by the Victorian Gold Rush. Baseball was played near the gold fields and took hold strong enough that A.G. Spalding stopped in Australia on his world tour of 1888. Below is a spectacular presentation piece commemorating the event.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/190ee3f7-f51f-42a7-ac3f-a35dfbb55ae4_zps1848b430.jpg)
informal competitive leagues started throughout the country by 1890. Local tournaments were held and interstate rivalries developed. Below is a local team circa 1919. This culminated with the establishment of the Claxton Sield in 1934 for a countrywide championship tournament.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/7c0ae0fe-355d-46ed-9838-4aa0b9c965f0_zps129fbc3b.jpg)
Below is a team from the 1930's.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/55ab807e-ff37-4e0e-9c89-7aa34790a8f3_zps16c6b002.jpg)
below is a newspaper ad from 1928.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/1379fa97-30ef-4d31-9726-95b4ceacc7a1_zpsc2c9f4d4.jpg)
One of the men promoting Australian baseball during the 1920-1930s was Ferdinand Schellnack, managing director of Nutting & Young Sporting Goods located in Melbourne. He traveled throughout the country, encouraging the local teams and donating trophy cups for local tournament play.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/a08a9220-9b4e-4556-9d7f-ff74c680b958_zps88499800.jpg)
Nutting & Young Co. were saddlers and harness makers at the turn of the century in Melbourne. Schellnack was responsible for a couple of patents for horse gear in early 1900's. Nutting & Young eventually became a major wholesale sporting goods dealer in all manner of equipment; soccer, rugby, golf, cricket and also baseball. Below is a view of the 2nd floor sewing room of the N&Y factory.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/46a69fb3-f4de-476d-a5c6-bedf9922e3ee_zps6cbf30dc.jpg)
below are a couple of display photos circa 1940 of all the gear available from N&Y.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/2f204c35-3cc1-44b9-84e8-5b2c401c3973_zps138be6a5.jpg)
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/58fdce40-c451-48cc-8785-1646c7b7f1c1_zps947fdb03.jpg)
The Nutting & Young gloves are pretty rare. The first is a 1940's base mitt from ebay in 2013.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/bdaf8d9c-3e72-481b-8805-516a074d9625_zpsead8a14e.jpg)
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/3c3d9b61-d366-462e-a073-3678853594bc_zpsd3f8c2c5.jpg)
Below is a really stellar example from JD's collection. It looks like a snap back wrist strap model.
![Image](http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p644/mikesglove1/965acbb4-8f76-4bf3-8762-726a964cf277_zpsbb0798e9.jpg)