Rawlings Tags - Dating Information

[ebbets55]

You guys have to check out the Rawlings tags Mark just sent in. What a great lesson for all of us. Thanks Mark. New galleries and pictures going up daily. Thanks everyone for the pics. Keep them coming.

JD

http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/g ... m=rawlings

[mudman]

Very informitive

[stockbuddy]

Those tags are cool. Keep up the good work, JD.

Dave

[Cowboy7130]

After oogling those cool Rawlings tags (where is the corresponding Wilson gallery??), I was about to post a question to the forum ... who is Bill Doak, and why does his name go on a glove tag? However, I decided to follow my own advice (I am a teacher!), and instead of asking a question to get an answer, I researched my own answer on the web. I learned through Wikipedia that good ol' Bill was almost singlehandedly responsible for getting webs put on early Rawlings baseball gloves. Wikipedia's article went on to say that that particular innovation revolutionized the game in the early 20th century. Way to go, Bill!

So you see how educational and learning-friendly this forum is?

[ebbets55]

Hi Cowboy. Great job on the research. That's half the fun of this hobby. Yeah, Bill Doak gloves were very important and created the foundation of what the modern gloves are today.

Also, everyone, please don't feel like you don't need to send in a picture if one is already posted. The more the merrier.

Wilson category on it's way. I'm creating that one and others every day. Just keep checking back. They will all be there eventually.

JD

[softball66]

Cowboy's right, the Doak glove greatly improved defensive play. The web was already in the previous gloves but Doak put in laces which loosened the "give" between the thumb and forefinger from the previous stiff flat sewn piece webs and enhanced trapping the ball. Doak also raised the thumb up to create, more importantly, a pocket for the glove. Latina improved on this later with his "deep well" pocket which increased the padding, creating depth to the pocket area.
The lively ball, created by changing dirty balls out after Chapman was stuck and killed, turned the game into a hitter's paradise for a short while (check the averages in the early 1920s). Doak's innovative glove helped dampen the averages as did the cushioned cork center on the balls in 1924. One Rawlings ad had managers and players telegraphing orders in, clammoring for the Doak.
Ironically, Doak later became a bit bitter about not getting perceived full restitution for his design and tried to form his own glove company in the 1930s. On the playing field i believe he was one of the last of the legal spit ball pitchers.
We've run a few stories on the Doak model.

[rosajr]

JD,

Excellent website, and with the inclusion of the Rawlings tags, I think you just advanced the hobby 10 fold. I can't wait to see what else will be added to answer all those FAQ's that we have. Keep up the great work and Thanks again.

Jim