Union League glove

[hal barth]

I have a small baseball glove, which is no larger than a garden glove. It does have a single leather lace for a web. There is no padding and the inside is made of oilcloth. The glove does fit my adult hand. The interesting thing about this glove is the words Union League stamped in the palm. There is also a horseshoe type logo in the palm and the words "Genuine Leather" and letters HKF. I am torn between hoping it is a type of workman glove or just an ordinary 20's youth model. I know there was a Union League baseball organization which played in the 1890's. Is there a connection? I would appreciate any info. I have been a member of Joe Phillips' Glove Collector society for more than 12 years and have not seen this glove mentioned.

[vintagebrett]

Would it be possible to post a picture of the glove? Sounds like an interesting piece.

[hal barth]

Brett, I will try to post a picture later today. My computer skills are not the best and it sounds complicated on the web site. I use Iphoto for my digitals. If you remember, we met as I was set up at Gold Rush in Oronoco a few years back and you were teaching in Illinois. I am from Colorado and had sold our Dad a A2000 a few weeks before the Oronoco show.

[vintagebrett]

Oh yeah! I remember. I believe I bought a Harwood baseball in a box from you at that point.

You can just copy the URL for the picture into your post and we should be set to go. If that doesn't work, you can email me the photo at vintagebrett@yahoo.com and I can put it into a post for you. Thanks.

[vintagebrett]

I would say from the pictures it is almost definitely a kids glove from the 1920's/30's. Anyone else have thoughts?

[softball66]

Hal has been one of our steady glove member for years, knowledgable and great guy!
Hal, I'm guessing too that this is an inexpensive 1920s-30s glove like Brett has surmised. That particular suede type leather is a giveaway and the sewn on thumb. Also not likely a turn of the century because of the laced webbing and stamping such as it is, which (webbing) I've never seen in any catalogs from that era.

[david bushing]

I agree with Joe that this is a circa 1920's kids model bottom of the line glove given the outside seams and the way the appendages are sewn but as for mfg's stamping gloves, that dates back to 1880's. The mint fingerless glove that I bought at the Halper sale had the maker ink stamped in the outside palm, right where it would wear out with any use, hence most existing examples have no maker present. Also, I sold the old Harvard workmans style glove that had no use on the Mears for sale sight. It was marked Harvard with a model number and it too is stamped in ink on the surface to have completely dissappeared once it saw any use. Another case where previous styles and mfg techniques were recycled for the bottom line models. david bushing

[hal barth]

Thanks for the input on my Union League glove. My heart was hoping it was earlier, but my mind and my wife said it is a ca1930 child's mitt. With the oilskin lining and the single lace web. Look for this one on EBAY.
Hal Barth, Go Bums, whom I saw play in Ebbetts Field.