What They Were Using In 1962

[softball66]

Since one of our interesting topic always includes picking out the game gloves of the Major Leaguers, I was privileged to come up a copy of "Baseball Photo & Autograph" Album for 1962.
Taking team by team where I can see the players and make out somewhat the glove. Here goes>>
Yankees: Tony Kubek, Rawlings, XPG; Clete Boyer, Rawlings (flexomatic palm), Ralph Terry, Rawlings. Twins: Dick Stigman and Camilo Pascual Trapeze style. Angels: Tom Morgan (a notched heel Rawlings or Wilson), Billy Moran, Rawlings XPG, Dean Chance (MacGregor?). Tigers: Terry Fox and Hank Aguirre, Rawlings, Bubba Phillips, Frank Lary, Wilson A2000s. Baltimore: Ron Hansen Rawlings XPG8? Luis Aparicio Wilson A2000. Red Sox: Felix Mantilla, Rawlings XPG, Dick Radatz, MacGregor?. Athletics: Dick Howser, split-web Rawlings. Senators: Jim Piersall, Wilson A2000; Tom Cheney, Trapeze; San Francisco Giants: Jack Sanford, Wilson A2000; Juan Marichal, Spalding. Dodgers: Sandy Koufax, either Spalding Colavito Model or Rawlings XPG3; Maury Wills, Rawlings XPG. Reds: Sammy Ellis, MacGregor. Pirates: Vern Law, Rawlings Trapeze. Braves: Warren Spahn, XPG3; Cardinals: Ray Washburn, Rawlings. Houston Colts: Don McMahon, Rawlings Trapeze. Cubs: Larry Jackson, Rawlings. Mets: Norm Sherry, Rawlings Heart of Hide HOHX.
Some of these printed photos were grainy so some guesswork involved. And it shows us that the glove scene was dominated by Rawlings (No. 1) and Wilson had made inroads with its A2000 style.

[okdoak]

Anybody who has handled one of those top line Rawlings/Spaldings or Wilson A2000 (or Sonnett ) from back then knows how amazing that "Made in USA" leather was. This is off topic, but I have fond memories of buying baseball cards from that year. Being 8 years old, I ignored my dad's advice to not waste my allowance on baseball cards and comic books. By the end of summer I had hundreds of cards, but of course couldn't muster up a Mantle, Mays, or Mathews. It was my first lesson in Topps' evil collating process. One day I opened 3 packs and wound up with 4 Sam Meles, who was the Twins manager and nonexistent on my want list. I did get a Maris with his epic 61 homer season on the back of the card and an Aaron All-Star plus a few from the neat Babe Ruth subset. I bought a Warren Spahn with the cool glove shot many years later. When I think of that year, the tag line from the movie American Graffiti always comes to mind: "Where were you in '62?"