by softball66 » November 14th, 2008, 12:24 pm
Brett, it's my understanding from talking with Bobby Storey at Nocona and a few more of the other glove mfg. owners like Larry Dubow, is that during the wartime restrictions on manufacturing, some plants were converted to making other leather articles like Dubow went into leather Bomber Jacket production, other glove companies went into strict contract with the procurement offices to make "ONLY" gloves for the military, no retail gloves, just under contract specifications to the military. I'm sure a glove had to pass some standards as to quality, material and be approved by the federal inspection officials. And it was only one model per company. Don't forget too that Hillerich and Bradsby was making rifle stocks and not bats during WW II.
I've only seen one Korean War glove, a USMC first base mitt. After that
I don't think gloves were made strictly for the military and other means of procurement took place, development of the PXs. When I was in during the late 1950s, we bought our gloves at the Post Exchange (PX) at a much discounted price.