Chicago Sun Times-Show

[vintagebrett]

This weekend the city of Chicago has a large sports collectable/autograph show going on. Tonight was the opening evening and I've been eagerly anticipating the show because I've found some nice items at past shows. I had a district wide meeting and doctors appt. today so I was able to leave work early. On my way up to the show I stopped into a store I find gloves at once in a while and was able to pick up a Rawlings Earl Battey HOH catchers mitt and a large Dubow Augie Galan split finger. The Battey is a little rough but should clean up nice and the Galan will clean up well too.

The show started at 5 but I wanted to beat the Friday traffic snarls and ended up arriving at 3:30. I went to purchase my ticket and the lady let me go in with the dealers! This was very exciting and I quickly started walking around. My first purchase of the show was a nice MacGregor GC12 Willie Mays personal model glove. This is top of the line with no visible ink, nice leather and strong stampings. The white from the MacGregor tag is worn and the web needs to be relaced but overall, great glove.

Moving on I found a dealer with some vintage stuff and bought two gloves - a Nokona J126 Rip Russell and a Wilson 617X split finger USA special services glove. The Russell looks to be top of the line and looks like my Rawlings RR Red Rolfe glove. Leather is super soft and the lining feels great! The Wilson has great leather and strong stampings. As Borat says "Very Nice".

My next purchase proved to be my best. This gentleman had two gloves at the bottom of his display case and I asked if I could see them. The first one was a split finger buckle back made by OK Mfg - I've never seen a buckle back by them so I was excited. The second glove was a Rawlings BH Billy Herman. The fingers have "Dazzy Vance" style lacing and the wrist strap is one of the oddest looking Rawlings I've ever seen. I don't think I've seen a Herman made by Rawlings. This glove is top of the line and really neat looking. I was nervous when I asked the guy the price but he told me what he wanted, I smiled, gave him the money and moved on.

My last glove purchase was a left handed Rawlings GS George Sisler model. The leather on the glove is great, stampings are very strong and it has the cool cloud Rawlings tag. Only issue is the lacing in the web is missing but we can take care of that. I also got an early Reach bat with a very thick handle and cool stampings.

There were some other gloves I saw that I thought about buying but didn't have any money left - I left them for any of the other glove collectors going to the show.

I will take pictures of everything tomorrow and post them here.

[vintagebrett]

Here are some pictures of the gloves - enjoy!

[drasher81]

Those are some really nice pickups I really like the OK buckleback!! Is the lacing pattern on the Billy Herman factory, or was it added by a previous owner at some point?

[stockbuddy]

Hi Brett,

You made some great finds at that show. I like your H web glove. Let me know if you wish to trade or sell it sometime.

Brett, I have been trying to reach you by email through your glove website and the forum here. Could you please check your emails shortly as it is very important and I want and need your thoughts on something. Much appreciated.

Again, nice finds.

Best regards,
Dave

[vintagebrett]

I'm pretty positive the lacing through the fingers on the Herman was factory produced. The holes are cut perfectly and the lacing matches the lacing in the web. Has anyone else seen a Rawlings with lacing through the fingers?

[stockbuddy]

Hi Brett,

I sent you another email but it may be stuck in the outbox of the forum. I hit the submit button to "send" you the email but it does not appear in the sent box yet. Perhaps it stays in the outbox a while and then is sent. Not sure? Feel free to call me if you have a minute. I can then return a call back to you using my phone.

Brett, I will need your mailing address too.

Thanks much.

Dave

[softball66]

Brett on the Herman, do the laces circle from the web and come back to tie off there?
I don't believe I've seen a '30s Rawlings glove with lacing in the fingers.
I will check in their catalogs.

[glove-works]

On the Herman:

I am betting the finger lacing was added. Normally the lacing would run through the fingers on the backside.....although this looks to have been done well, the absence of grommets, especially on the index finger, would lead me to believe the lacing was an owner mod.

Nice pick-ups Brett.

[vintagebrett]

I agree that the lack of grommets make it likely that this was added at some point. However, if it was added later on, the person who did the job make it look professional. All of the holes that the laces run through are identical. The lacing matches all around the glove as well. The holes are perfectly spaced too. Guess it will be a mystery glove - whether it's original or not, it's a neat looking glove!

[softball66]

Factory lacing it is. The Herman BH shows up first in the 1938 catalog that I have (I don't have 1937 or it might have made its debut then) with double lacing between the fingers and the model continues to 1940 that way with the double lacing discontinued in 1941.
Originally a double tunnel web was installed on this BH and it looks like the lacing ties off at the top or behind the forfinger. Later it looks like there's a hole in the front of the forefinger sort of like the Doak but I'm working from xerox copy. The web is later changed to the "H" or Roman I
web.
Here's the interesting description introducing the glove. "Designed under the supervision of Billy Herman of the Chicago Cubs, outstanding second baseman. Large Professional Mdoel with a deep crotch and inside laced fingers. This type lacing assists in closing the glove after the impact of the ball."
This is the only glove in the Rawlings lines I see for these years with double lacing. All of this picked up bascially from the Ken Wel double lacing such as on the Vance and several other of its models.
The year the Herman was changed back to no lacing, 1941, Rawlings introduced the RR rolled-lace web and streamline (welted fingers) fingers and thumb.

[vintagebrett]

Thanks for the information! Either way I felt the glove was an interesting item. I think I will hang onto this one for awhile and put it on display next to my black leather Rawlings Lonney Frey. Is there anyway you could scan the picture of the glove from the catalog and post it or send it to me? And Rawlings did do a good job of building it to Herman's specifications - the pocket is deep and is a stamped professional model. I'm also intrigued by the wrist strap on the back - I haven't seen any other Rawlings like this. I know the Rawlings buckle backs are hard to come by - I'm guessing this style is as well.

[vintagebrett]

Originally a double tunnel web was installed on this BH and it looks like the lacing ties off at the top or behind the forfinger. Later it looks like there's a hole in the front of the forefinger sort of like the Doak but I'm working from xerox copy. The web is later changed to the "H" or Roman I
web.

My glove has the hole in the front of the forefinger like the Doak. There is also a hole where the lacing loops around on the front of the pinky finger.

[softball66]

Brett, then it looks like the lacing starts at the pinkie, to the "Doak" style forfinger hole where it circles back to the pinkie?
It's always a good idea to get the player's close input and ideas like Herman, who was a fine defensive second sacker. A player, of course, is where the famous Doak model came from. This looks like a truly solid glove from the late '30s. Neat pickup Brett!!!