by softball66 » December 15th, 2007, 9:14 am
I'll bet this article idea might have springboarded with Joe Gilligan at Akadema, who is really into the Ken Wel history. This article brings out some good points. The double lacing in the fingers really never took hold with lots of players at this time, some of whom were still cutting holes in their pockets. Welting was novel and soon copied by other companies. I remember Nocona with a Pollett glove in the late 1940s with this dual laced finger model borrowed from Ken Wel I'm sure.
I can appreciate writer's interview with the Vance's talking about how memorabilia, autographs etc. were sent out by widows (cancelled checks etc.).
I think the cancelled check signature has been requested and sent from family members as a way of capturing a "cut" autograph.
Trouble with the Vance innovation taking hold, the Doak glove just stole its thunder at the time with its "fetching catching" ability.