Latest Spalding Information

[softball66]

Just visited with a long-time Spalding salesman (golf division) who was very informative about questions we'd had about where Spalding operated. Richard Pittman informed me that the Spalding Publishing Division (for the guides, probably catalogs, etc. was headquartered in Chicago until the early 1970s.
Richard thinks that the old Spalding Plant in Chicopee, Mass. (this plant was purchased by Calloway Golf which is still there according to Richard) housed all of the Spalding sporting goods lines including the baseballs but
gloves, footballs, basketballs until it was moved out. Richard also believes that there is an archive room there that houses much information about the manufacturing of these products from before the turn of the century.
If one of our guys lives near Chicopee, might be interesting to go by and see what's there and ask around.
The Chicopee plant, Richard says, is a one-million square foot facility. He actually saw the baseballs being sewn there in the early 1970s.'
Richard would like to buy any Spalding Catalog from 1958 prior.

[okdoak]

Very interesting, Joe. I spent a few hours searching the web after reading the earlier posts and didn't find much. Found out that when they awarded the patent to Charles M. King in 1913 it was termed "as assignor to A.G. Spalding & Bros., a New Jersey corporation." A guy whose father or grandfather worked for Spalding is also trying to put together a history of the company on his web page. He's starting with the present and working backward, though, and hasn't come up with anything that we don't already know. I don't have the link to his web page, but I'll find it if you're interested.

[vintagebrett]

Chicopee is about 25 to 30 minutes from my house. Joe, does your friend have a contact at the plant that would be able to get me into the archive room? I'd love to go and would be more than willing to share whatever I find.

[softball66]

Richard may not know anyone there since Calloway probably operates the plant.
He did say that the old gentleman (can't remember his name) there at Chicopee did so for 48 years, so he went way back to Spalding in the 1920s
and was in charge of all of the mfg. operations there.
Richard also says he remembers going into the area where they were sewing the balls. He said there were about 300 ladies in the room and they were all lacing in unison (to music?). He said it was a sight to behold. Remember the lacing process took the arms all the way up in the air.
Calloway was interested in the golf line Spalding had, top flite golf balls, etc.
Yse, please get me that link.
Brett if you just head up there or call in advance you might get how to where to directions. Richard said there's a room there with loads of info, data.

[okdoak]

Here is the link the guy's web page with his Spalding history:


http://thebostonsportsnut.blogspot.com/ ... goods.html

Found an old photo of the Chicopee plant entrance also:


http://dlib.cwmars.org/cdm4/item_viewer ... CISOPTR=17

[ScottWNJ]

Brett perhaps you could approach Calloway's public relations department about doing a story on Spalding for The Glove Collector newsletter. It might get you in the door.

[candlestick]

Sounds like a quest for the Holy Grail. Monty Python anyone? Seriously, it would be a great find, but somehow I doubt that one company would save all the history of another, unrelated company - even if they shared the same manufacturing space. I have my fingers crossed, I am just skeptical.

[softball66]

I pulled up Calloway factory and it seems they either are closing or have closed (couldn't find date of the story) their golf ball factory in , of all places, gloversville but the Chicopee plant is still open. I did a brief read on this.
but wanted to post it:
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/st ... y=BUSINESS

[softball66]

600 workers at Chicopee. Now it could be that Callaway is somewhat interested in maintaining a link or history to the past and has kept this
Spalding room intact for "museum?" archive purposes. Let's hope Richard is right and maybe Brett can saunter over there for a check out.
Noticed in that release where Callaway closing the Gloversville plant and move production to China (what else is new?) but that much of its sales are in China. Guess the Chinese are playing glove but not baseball.
Also a graf in the Callaway report to stockhoders is that the golf club mfg. is going to automation. Now Nocona is doing this with its second U.S. plant.
Yes indeed, the times are changing.
http://www.shingoprize.org/files/upload ... icopee.pdf

[mikesglove]

Below is an aerial view of the old Splading plant on Meadow st. in Chicopee. I think a Stevens-Duryea auto plant was originally there before Splading. As you can see from the photo, the site is a remnant of its former self. The red arrow at the top is the Splading plant at 425 Meadow St.( now Callaway golf). the arrow below indicates the old Splading office headquarters at 521 Meadow, only the slab foundation remaining. It was sold for redevelopment. A Dunkin' Donuts is there now. Spalding moved its headquarters to Bowling Green, Kentucky. I think Spalding is now owned by Russell Athletics.

Below is a street view of the Spalding/Callaway plant at 425 Meadow St.


Below is the same view circa 1940's