To Japan with love

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Tamazawa brand may not be as well known in the U.S. as Mizuno but they have the same storied history as Mizuno with roots going back to the early 1900"s.

This 1920's glove below features the King Patent lace.

A 1920-30's catchers mitt along with a V-anchored web model from the 1950-60's.

Below is an interesting one. A Rogers Hornsby buckleback model with Doak style webbing


I read that The Tamazawa gloves are currently the most popular glove brand in Japan.

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Here's a photo of a Japanese player with that V-anchored web glove.

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During the Meiji period in Japan(1868-1912), Sports were considered part of martial arts and baseball equipment resembled martial arts armor. Below are catalog phots of TOC baseball gear.
A catchers mitt, shin guards and catchers mask with throat protector.

A fingerless glove ,catchers mitt and a pair of tipped finger workman style gloves.

A Mizuno catalog page from the 1920's

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The Ishii/Kajimaya company was another early sporting goods manufacturer. They were one sponsor for the 1922 Goodwill Tour of MLB players to Japan. There were a dozen or so games played with different Japanese teams. Below are some members of the American team that include Waite Hoyt and Casey Stengel.

One player on the U.S. side was John Lavan of the Cardinals. During his free time, he partnered with Ishii/Kajimaya in developing and endorsing a novel patented glove. The glove design was patented in 1923 in Japan. The main feature was metal weights put in the finger tips to absorb the impact of a caught ball. The endorsement reads "To my very good friend, Mr Ishii- with esteem, John Lavan".

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Below are some Ishii/Kajimaya gloves.
A glove from an exhibit in the Japanese Baseball hall of Fame.

A super Frank Frisch endorsed glove with a Doak style web.

Another beauty, a Tom Seaver endorsed model.

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Sears had Ted Williams as their main endorser and Wards had Stan Musial. Below is a "Speedback" model ad.

The "Speedback" model below

A Wards A2000 knockoff.

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Cambridge Sports of New York was mainly an importer of baseball gloves but they sold some U.S. made gloves in their early days.
Below a neat 1950's Willie Mays model with X anchored web.

A 1940's Hutch made Cambridge Pep Young model 42.

A stylish 1960's Fritz Peterson model made in Japan. Features choco chrome leather.

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An interesting MacGregor glove circa 1969. A Willie Mays model QB1 glove. It's a "Fullback" model with double finger seams. There is a football helmet "Quarterback" stamp on the heel. The glove features a floating diamond web.

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The MacGregor "FieldMaster Web" patent was approved in 1962. MacGregor started using it on their gloves in 1960. Below is the 1960 MacGregor GF10 glove and its 1962 Sears counterpart. The Sears glove was half the price of the GF10.

Below the Sears Ted Williams model.

The next iteration of the Fieldmaster web had X web lacing.

Below is the Sears version.

Below is a rare George Reach version with the X laced web.

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Some rarities. 1950-'60's Mizuno models.
An early V-Anchored web model.

An interesting 1960's two piece palm glove. Hard to find one with the web cutouts.

A Mizuno glove reminiscent of the 1967 MacGregor Claude Osteen model 970 and GC1 model with double laced palm.

A 1960's era base mitt with extended pocket.