Rawlings patents 1942-1971

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Rawlings patents 1942-1971

Postby mikesglove » October 25th, 2010, 3:44 am

The Latina father and son team were in full glory here and many variations appear. Below Harry and Rollie Latina are checking out a couple of their inventions with St. Louis Cardinals players Stan Musial and Ken Boyer.
books_003latina1961.jpg
Instead of a by rote chronological listing of the Rawlings patents, each posting will be a theme starting with an early patent and showing how the glove evolved into variations or later patents. It seems more interesting that way and at the end hopefully there is a more well rounded picture. The Rawlings "Bill Doak" glove, first introduced in 1922, was tweaked and modified over the years and the "H" web feature of the 1940's "Doak" is a good bridge into the later XPG series.
1940 rawlings 2.jpg
It is interesting to note that the "H" web was licensed by Rawlings from Wilson Sporting Goods from a patent by Archibald Turner in 1927
1927 turner wilson weba.jpg
Some of the "Doak" models had the Turner patent number stamped on the "H" web strap
Bill Doak Rawlings H Lefty Back.JPG

The "H" web continued into the 1950's and was further modified into the XPG(experimental player glove) series of the 1960's. The most popular example is the Mickey Mantle XPG6-H model.
mantle h weba.jpg
The XPG16 model below from the 1970's shows a dual "H" web variation
Davey Lopes Rawlings XPG16 Fronta.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 25th, 2010, 4:42 am

Note the simple lacing below the web as a palm crotch reinforcement on this early 1950's Mort Cooper model.
Mort Cooper Rawlings MC Back Marka.jpg
The later 1950's PM1 glove below has the added sewn leather palm extension in addition to the palm lacing. Note also the wedge shaped finger crotch reinforcement
Bob Turley Rawlings PM1 Back Marka.jpg
These features are from a 1943 Latina patent. Note the early patent still features the original "H" web
1943 raw lat finger reinforcea.jpg

The two gloves above share the solid "V-Anchored Web", patented below in 1953. This was one of Harry Latinas greatest inventions. Just visually compare the webs in the two patents. They are worlds apart.
1950 raw lat v-anchora.jpg
This 1953 patent spawned many web variations
1962 websaa.jpg

This XPGP model features the "Speed Trap" web with a Spiral Top" lacing
Rawlings XPGP Front Marka.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 26th, 2010, 1:07 am

Below is the XPG6 with the "Triple action Web" with "Spiral Top" lacing.
Willie Stargell Rawlings XPG6 Front Marka.jpg



In 1944 Rawlings patented a design for thumb and pinky loops to gain better control and leverage for different size hands
1944 raw lat thumb pinkya.jpg

The "Herb Score" glove below shows the tie-offs for the thumb and pinky loops outside the glove. Note also the wrist "Snugger'' adjustment, a new addition in the 1950's
Herb Score Rawlings HSP Back Marka.jpg
The 1954 Rawlings catalog below shows the wrist "Snugger" and thumb loop only, leaving out the pinky loop
Rawlings-1954-Catalog_page001aa.jpg

The 1961 Latina patent below illustrates a new type of wrist "Snugger" and the elimination of the wrist strap button.
1961 raw lat wrist glovea.jpg
The XPGP model below still features the thumb and pinky loops in addition to the new style wrist "Snugger"
Rawlings XPGP Heart of the Hide Back.jpg
Last edited by mikesglove on October 27th, 2010, 3:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 27th, 2010, 1:24 am

The 1942 patent for a "Hinged Pad" stated the design was for both a glove and a mitt. The single break made closing the glove over the ball much easier
1942 rawlings lat single breaka.jpg
1950's "Walker Cooper" model with "Hinged Pad"
Walker Cooper Rawlings NWC Front Marka.jpg
1950's "Playmaker" model below with "Hinged Pad"
SMslPMF.jpg

The 1970 XPG10 below has the same hinged pad with a more elaborate lacing pattern dubbed the "Lazy S" lacing
Reggie Jackson Rawlings XPG10 Front Marka.jpg
Note the difference in heel lacing in the two gloves above. The heel lacing running up the pinky and thumb was known as the "Edge-U-Cated Heel" and was patented in 1961
1961 edgea.jpg

A variation called the "L" heel had lacing running up the pinky only
WStrgllF.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 27th, 2010, 2:15 am

The 1961 patent for the 'Edge-U-Cated" Heel also included a drawing of a six finger glove. Latina first introduced this model as a design patent in 1960 and a full fledged utility patent in 1961
1961 raw 6 fingera.jpg
Stan Musial Rawlings TG12 1960 Catalogue Mark.JPG
The "Lazy S" lacing forming the hinged pad of this TG12 model is such a classic design. In 1963 Latina introduced a patent for a two piece pocket. This invention was meant to isolate the pocket area from folds and creasing. Stitching and lacing were used to secure the two overlapping leather pieces at the bottom of the pocket.
1963 step down palma.jpg
The TGP model below featured this patented "Dual Step/Down Palm". Note that the "Hinged Pad" at the pinky was still worked into the construction of the padding though not stamped as such on the outside.
Rawlings TGP Front Marka.jpg

A year later The "Flex-O-Matic palm was intoduced. This Latina design was meant to facilitate the closing of the glove anywhere along the heel of the glove and not just at the "Hinged Pad" at the pinky. This became a popular model.
Stan Musial Rawlings TT10 Front Marka.jpg

In the early 1970's most of the features mentioned above were included in a Rawlings glove called the "Big R" It was even stamped the "Playmaker" harkening back to the three finger models of the 1950's. it is a really interesting glove
books_0031974 playmakera.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 28th, 2010, 2:48 am

Two 1948 patents issued at the same time dealt with the web attachment and wrist strap of catchers mitts. Previous to the first patent below, the perimeter lacing of catchers mitts extended into the crotch between the thumb and body of the mitt. The crowding of lacing and grommets in this area decreased flexibility and increased the wear and tear of both grommets and lacing. The Latina patent used overlapping leather tabs sewn into the crotch to eliminate the perimeter lacing in that area incresing flexibility and strengthening the metal grommets used to attach the web
1948 raw lat catch weba.jpg
The second patent below eliminated the old style laced strap in favor of a stronger double laced and padded wrist strap
1948 latina laced wrista.jpg
The older style wrist strap is shown below on this "Ben Warren" model. Note also the perimeter lacing and grommets crowding the crotch area of the mitt.
Ben Warren Rawlings 222 Back Doug.jpg
The 1950 "Bruce Edwards" model below shows the elimination of the perimeter lacing in the crotch in favor of the dark leather sewn reinforcing tabs. The new laced wrist strap is also evident.
Bruce Edwards Rawlings BE Back Marka.jpg
The early webbing style above changed through the 1950's with many variations and two are seen below

Walker Cooper model
Walker Cooper Rawlings NWC Back Marka.jpg


Ed Bailey model
Ed Bailey Rawlings HOH Back Marka.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 28th, 2010, 3:24 am

As you can see, webbing of the gloves and mitts was an important consideration for the Latinas. Some of the Latina web patents were designed to be used on both gloves and mitts as this 1962 patent states
1962 web glove mitta.jpg

This web shown in this patent drawing figured prominently in the 1962 DCT (Double-Ca-Thud) basemitt. This was a really unique design using lacing to isolate the pocket from the stiff perimeter padding of the mitt thereby decreasing break-in time
1962 dcta.jpg
Below is a circa 1968 Mickey Mantle DCT mitt
mantle dct.JPG
Below is a 1970's Steve Garvey DCT model
Steve Garvey Rawlings DCT Front Marka.jpg
note the same web design in this 1970's model as the 1962 patent drawing.
Steve Garvey Rawlings DCT Back Marka.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 28th, 2010, 4:08 am

The "X" lacing of the base mitt web above was a common characteristic of many Latina webs. The 1964 Ad below illustrates the "X" lacing morphing into a main element of the web. This 1964 "Big 8" glove features the "Double X Web"
books_0041964 xweb.jpg

XPG12 model with the "Double X Web"
Tony Kubek Rawlings XPG12 Front Marka.jpg

One of the most popular webs Rawlings produced was the "Basket Web" patented in 1967. The web was constructed with some "give" to it that could really capture a ball well. Also note that this is a patent by Rollie Latina. Harry Latina retired from Rawlings in 1961
1967 raw lat basket weba.jpg
1967 basket weba.jpg

circa 1970 XPG3 below with the "Basket Web"
Brooks Robinson Rawlings XPG3 Front Marka.jpg
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1970

Postby mikesglove » October 28th, 2010, 2:14 pm

Harry and Rollie Latina had been associated with Rawlings for so long that it is jarring when another inventor enters the picture. In this case, Paul Collins 1971 patent for the "Fastback" design preceded Rollie Latina's patent by a couple of months. The Collins patent was assigned to ATO, the Rawlings parent company, whereas the Latina patent was assigned directly to Rawlings.
holdstera.jpg

XFG7 model with the horizontal "Holdster" finger slot and the "Split Action" web
Billy Williams Rawlings XFG7 with Autograph Back Marka.jpg

Rollie Latina's patent closely followed and included the "WingTip" feature and elongated "Holdster" slot.
1971 bellows web fastback holdstera.jpg

A new web was introduced with this patent called the "Bellows Web" which consisted of a folded leather pocket built into the web that expanded with a caught ball
1971 bellowsaa.jpg
XFG15 "Fastback" model with the "Bellows Web"
xfg15aa.JPG


Most of the gloves pictured here are from Mark Walters collection. The pictures and patents can be viewed at http://www.baseballglovecollector.com. Joe Phillip's "2007 Vintage Baseball Glove Catalog Source Book" was open at my desk at all times
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1971

Postby mikesglove » March 15th, 2015, 2:41 pm

As mentioned earlier, the Double-Ca-Thud patent was designed for both gloves and mitts. It became popular with base mitts but not so much with fielders gloves. Below is a "Brooks Robinson" model KMDC glove with a Double-Ca-Thud pocket. It is really interesting. if it was USA made, it would be a must have model for most collectors, but it is a youth model made especially for Kmart by Rawlings back in the 70's and an import.
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1971

Postby mikesglove » July 8th, 2017, 1:23 pm

Rawlings imported gloves such as the model above were made by the Trion Corporation of Japan. Akio Aoki founded the company in 1959 as an importer of sporting goods and started a manufacturing business in 1967. Aoki developed many patents for Rawlings gloves and was instrumental in the design and manufacture of the newer Primo and REVO line from a Trion subsidiary plant in the Philipines. The Rawlings Primo gloves were high end Italian leather at $400 a pop.
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1971

Postby Number9 » July 8th, 2017, 8:08 pm

I'm not sure what purpose that hand sewn section on the pinky of the Primo glove serves, but it sure is pretty.
Huntington Base Ball Co.
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Re: Rawlings patents 1942-1971

Postby mikesglove » July 8th, 2017, 11:20 pm

That's funny!. There is a similar hand sewn outseam welting on the thumb side. Apparently Rawlings thought the typical inner stitched welting would abrade the thumb and pinky so they turned the stitching around in that area. I kid you not. Unnecessary but very thoughtful of them. Hey, it's a $400 glove!
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