Joe DiMaggio Game Glove?

[jpop43]

Yep, as Jerry very correctly pointed our, there was white inking used to stamp the gloves. Additionally, his observation of the train button to denote Canadian mfg. completely jives with our experience on these Spalding gloves. We have several other Spalding Marvel gloves, to include another DiMag #133, and a Frisch #128 with the black button, that Jerry described, and they are very clearly marked "made in USA", just as the black leather DiMag #107 is.

[softball66]

Help me out here. When do we think this glove #107 Spalding was produced? Just a guess but about 1943-44 when Spalding turned to Canada production because it was committed to the war effort on
producing retail gloves??? Hence not a catalog item? I can elaborate on this.
The other question begs is did Joe Dimaggio use this glove? There is no link or provenance to that fact except some loose assumptions by the seller.

[jpop43]

As has been pointed out, the Spalding Marvel was a fairly high end glove, and although the #107 is, to my knowledge, an uncataloged example, the pattern would speak to mfg. in the early to mid 1940's. That being said, we have also owned a #107 endorsed by DiMag that would date to the late 1930's as indicated by its design to include a double tunnel web.

I can assert without reservation that the black leather, Spalding Marvels #107 endorsed by DiMag that we have owned were not Canadian made, and are stamped "made in USA" right underneath the Spalding logo. Likewise, I do not believe that this particular example on ebay was Canadian made either. Like many other out there, I also do not believe it was ever, in any way used by DiMaggio.

For comparison...

Here is one of the earlier DiMaggio #107's with the "train" button and thick wrist strap...the new owner may be able to check it out for us and tell us the country of origin as I do beleive it can still be seen stamped under the logo:
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Joe+DiMaggio+Spalding+107+1+Front+Popovich.jpg
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Joe+DiMaggio+Spalding+107+1+Back+Popovich.jpg

Here is our #107 Marvel DiMag....marked "made in USA" w/ the little black button:
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Joe+DiMaggio+Spalding+107+2+Front+Popovich.jpg
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Joe+DiMaggio+Spalding+107+2+Back+Popovich.jpg

Here is another example of a Spalding Marvel (#128 Frank Frisch) also with the little black button and no patch, but clearly marked "made in USA":
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Frank+Frisch+Spalding+Marvel+128+Front+Popovich.jpg
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Frank+Frish+Spalding+Marvel+128+Back+Popovich.jpg

There are most definitely Canadian made Spalding's from this era out there, and some much earlier ones too (http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=spalding&image=Spalding+Canadian+1+Inch+Web+Front+Popovich.jpg), and I could certainly be wrong about this one, but I do not think that the DiMag #107's that we are talking about here are Canadian made.

Just my two cents

[murphusa]

Here is another example of a 133 model

http://www.baseballantiques.com/19joedispmag.html

[Mr. Mitt]

Jon, I'm out of the country on a business trip and can't look more closely at my #107 until I get back, but I think you're right that the button has a train on it and not an airplane like I originally thought. I don't remember if it says "Made in the USA" or not. I'll check for sure and reply when I get back.

I'd say a very small fraction of this board's users actually care about game used gloves. Sure, they're fascinating, but less than 99% could actually afford one even if there's iron-clad assurance of the glove being game used. I can only speak for myself, but anything tagged as game used is a comeplete turn-off. The reason why I, and many others, settled in with glove collecting was the dishonesty in other parts of the hobby. Counterfit cards and impersonal slabs turned us away from that segment, sketchy dealers and forged autographs killed that pastime, and the emergence of "game used" rose from the ashes to fleece collectors with deeper pockets. Granted, some game used items are the real deal, but the risk is too high for the majority of us to dabble with it. Look back at only a few examples and even CoA's from the players' themselves are inaccurate. DiMaggio told Halper that a store model glove of his dated to his early playing days. He was mistaken. Jenkins tried to pass off a non-game glove as a gamer to pad his retirement account. The list goes on and on. So even with a supposed CoA, why take the risk? We're vintage glove collectors and aside from the first post or two on this thread, the direction shifted away from game used to more detaield aspects of a fairly unique glove. Unique not because Joltin' Joe may have used it, that idea has pretty much been dismissed. Unique in the fact that we don't have evidence of it being cataloged, so invistagive work and the sharing of ideas and informaiton began. Canadian or US made, date of manufacturing based on glove characteristics, unusual white ink in the stampings... things such as this is why we participate in the board.

[jpop43]

couldn't agree with you more, Jerry...enjoy the rest of your trip and travel safe...talk to you soon. JP.

[softball66]

as most of you know I enjoy many aspects of gloves and have played with one over 60 years. I am skittish about game used gloves and don't have a great feel for them. And how often is that hobby abused too Jerry.
Which brings me to the great Bat Masterson story, that when he moved to New York and became, among other things, a sportswriter, as when he needed some cash, he would go to a pawn shop but
a gun there and then sell it later as the "gun that cleaned up Dodge City."

[Mr. Mitt]

I was wrong. My #107 is made in the USA. I had thought that the others I owned were Canadian made, but now I'm not certain.

[murphusa]

Nothing of real interest at this weekends Philly Show with the exception of Hunts Black DiMaggio glove. They just can't get ride of it

Most of the gloves being offered on the floor were really beat up.
Nothing nice in bats, catchers equipment, trophy's or uniforms

blah

[vintagebrett]

It seems that show hasn't produced much good stuff in terms of equipment lately. Maybe everyone's holding on to their stuff until the National.