Anybody Have a Dong Hyuk in Their Collection?

[BretMan]

As you cruise through ebay, you sometimes see some real odd-ball gloves. This one caught my eye tonight:

DONG HYUK

Even stranger- note the "Finest in the Field" stampings identical to a Rawlings glove!

[Vindoggie]

Ebay Item number: 320137837336

[BretMan]

Better yet, in my post above just click on the "DONG" (that sounds so wrong...)

[Number9]

Professional model eh? Must have different standards down under.

[GloverBoy]

Sounds like a Korean name, but I have no idea if it's a player or the manufacturer. First one bearing that name that I have seen on eBay in over 6 years of looking. I was a bit surprised at the blatant ripoff of Rawlings's "Finest in the Field" byword.

[BretMan]

It's not just the phrase "Finest in the Field". What caught my eye is that it's printed in the exact same location as a Rawlings glove and in the exact same lettering font. Even the model number echoes a Rawlings- same font and location, only "DHG" instead of "RBG".

It's either plagarism or, possibly, this glove was made through a Rawlings licensing agreement or even by Rawlings for sale overseas.

[softball66]

The Japanese were "free" of avoiding copywrights and patents or at least felt they could, when they entered the U.S. market with their gloves in the 1960s. They would use the same or very similar names or slogans on their gloves as the American made.
For instance I just picked up a fairly nice "National King" National Sporting Good Corp. Japan, base mitt, probably a late 1960s. In the palm is the illustration of a steerhead (shades of the bull) stating "Selected Steerhide". It has the "Hinged Pad" stamping which I think belonged to Wilson. This was rather typical of the import brands.
Do we think that Mizuno used 2000 numbering system "MT2000"? The Mexican maker Rolin is very close to Rawlings in pronunciation and their tagging looks very similar to the Red Rawlings tags.
The early Japanese glove leather was heavy and stiff, probably due to tanning methods as the Japanese got their leather then from Pacific rim countries, say like New Zealand. They improved as they went along.
The Koreans made a great glove and Jim Storey, then president of Nocona, told me that his company couldn't make one better.
The glove low labor chase went from Japan to Korea, to Taiwan, to Phillipines, to Malaya. I still get offers (because of my web site like this):
"Dear sirs:

We get your name and address through the Web.

We are KBL Baseball Sporting Goods CO. LTD. and we are the pros-manufacturing baseball goods. of course all the ranges of goods are produced in China. we had a good reputation since 1994. we want to establish the business relationship with you. you can get more information by our website: www. China-kbl. com.
We look forward to your enquiry.
Yours faithfully
Ruby luo
COBRA SPORTS GOODS CO.,LTD(THE 2EN FACTORY)"