Nice Little Surprise(s)

[vintagebrett]

A couple weeks ago on eBay I won a lot of 3 gloves. There was only one picture and minimal description but the leather looked intriguing so I took a shot. The box of gloves finally arrived today after winning them August 1st.

The first glove I pulled out the box was a Hutch glove endorsed by Tom Puehl. Never heard of him so I looked him up in the glove price guide and see that he is "Catalogued." Cool, I think to myself, I found a glove that must be pretty rare. So I went to baseball reference and can't find this guy. Tried a google search, nothing. Used some online databases, including histroical NY Times, nothing. Anybody know know this guy is?? The glove itself is pretty interesting - the fingers are very intricately laced with 3 X's going down each finger - I've seen this on a Warren Spahn model before. The tag is torn and it needs to be repadded but it will be a neat glove when fixed up.

Next glove was a Nokona splitfinger softball model - the stitching in the palm of the glove is gone. This glove has to have the nicest interior lining I've ever put on my hand - if I ever designed my dream glove, the lining from this glove would win out. It is a chocolate brown color and feels awesome on your hand!!!

Last glove was a MacGregor model G113 Ralph Kiner Spider Web with reverse wrist strap. This glove will clean up nice although someone tried to relace it and did such a terrible job, I hope I can figure the right way it goes. If not, I'm sure there are plenty of people around here that can help me out.

[MrReeMan]

Hello all. This is my first post and although I dont collect antique baseball gloves I do love the look of the vintage gloves.

Regarding your questions about Tom Puehl. He was a minor league pitcher who was one of the nations top pitching prospects in the early 50's. He was so highly thought of that Hutch signed him up before he made the majors. At that time he was put in Hutch's catalogue on the same page as two other players. Those players were Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. Unfortunately for Tom, he never played in the majors. Just when Brooklyn was ready to promote him at age 23, he was drafted into the army.

Tom is still alive and living in Cincinnati. He is 77 years old and is a great guy. His hobby is antique cars. In fact I bought one of his cars. A 1959 Chevy Impala 2 door hardtop.

You can count on this information being accurate. It came straight from Tom. I just got off the phone with him right before writing this response for you. If you need anymore information just email me. Im sure Tom would be glad to talk to you if you have more questions.......mrree1@hotmail.com

[vintagebrett]

Wow! Thanks for that information. That is a really interesting story - I find it quite fascinating that offering endorsements to "high" potential athletes took place back in the 1950's - I was thinking this was a more modern practice.

[softball66]

These posts bring out some other facets of glove collecting interests: how some glove-making companies approached signing endorsers and also looking up the player behind the glove signature, in this case Tom, never a big leaguer but an exciting minor league prospect.
Hutch was evidently taking a sort of Nocona approach by signing top minor leaguers early and hoping they would make it to the big time where there glove endosement would pay off later for the company. Makes me wonder about other Hutch non major league glove signers like Johnny Mack, Larry Steinbeck, Bill Williams. Were these minor leaguers too.
Reminds me of tracking down minor league pitcher "Jelly" Sorrelle, a Nocona endorser who's name turned up on its gloves. I found out when an old friend who played for Baylor told me that he played college baseball under Jelly. I asked him how he got his nickname "Jelly"? I was told he used a funny substance on the balls he pitched with.
Two more ways to enjoy our hobby.

[BretMan]

That is a great story!

Since Mr. Puehl currently resides in Cincinnati, I wonder if he is a Cincinnati native and lived there at the time of his glove endorsement. That would make for a natural connection with Hutch, as they were a Cincinnati-based company. Perhaps they had their eye out for local talent!