Today's Finds

[vintagebrett]

Picked up these items today.

First item - Wilson Ray Schalk model catchers mitt. I always wondered why Wilson waited until the late 40's, early 1950's to produce these mitts condsidering Schalk played a lot earlier. Top of the line glove in nice shape - a little tear where the thumb comes down to meet the finger side. Block stampings nice. Cool mitt!



Next two items aren't gloves but nice old baseballs - 1st up is a Reach ball with some really light colored stitching. Used but not abused. 2nd is a Don Larsen special with it's original box. There are some auto's on the ball but I think they were all minor league playes. Haven't seen a Larsen ball like this before.

[Fred]

nice pics....
did Schalk was the guys suspected to be a spook or something ?

[vintagebrett]

I believe Moe Berg is the "spook" you are thinking of.

[softball66]

Catcher Ray was the clean starter along with Eddie Collins (both HOF) on the 1919 Black Sox team and suspected something was going on in the "thrown" series that year.
For some reason Wilson put kept the old timers like Schalk, Paul Richards, Rip Collins, Lefty Gomez on their gloves long after their careers was over '40s-'50s. I always thought Gomez hogging the Wilson gloves kept the fine Yankee pitchers, Allie Reynolds, Ed Lopat and Vic Raschi from having their names (and getting some royalty revenue) from Wilson as they all used Wilson gloves.
I'd never heard either Schalk or Berg mentioned as being "spook", so please fill me in.

[vintagebrett]

Berg was an operative for the OSS. I did my junior US History paper on him. Read this book if you want to learn more - it is a great read!
http://www.amazon.com/Catcher-Was-Spy-M ... 225&sr=8-1

[BretMan]

Then again, this isn't unprecedented. Rawlings sold Bill Doak gloves for about 35 years after his career ended!