Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

I was wondering if anyone else would be interested in posting pics of glove patches an buttons in there collection to form a small database on the forum, or just show some off. I was also curious when Goldsmith made the decision to stop putting patches on their gloves. Once the tunnel webs started I cant remember seeing one on a Goldsmith, only on the 1inch webs and full webs.

I took some photos of some buttons and patches from 2 companies I have older models of gloves from, which are Spalding and Reach. I'm going to go out on a limb on this and if someone can help out, chime in. Mind you these are the early gloves. As many know, Early Spalding gloves (full webs/crescents)contain the black patch and later gloves (one inchers and more modern) contain the red patch. Does this hold true for the button as well? Do "most" black label spalding fielder's glove use the older button with the ag spalding going around the circle and do "most" red label spaldings contain the spalding baseball button? Now, I know there are some that have just a plain button, but I was curious if particular buttons go with particular patches?
The next one I am curious about is the Reach button. Has anyone seen the older Reach button on another Reach glove that you own? Is it a crescent? A full web? This particular one, which looks similar to the Spalding idea, is from a Reach full web with asbestos lining. The other one, the button with the Reach in red, I've seen on full webs and one inchers. Post your thoughts/ findings.

http://hometown.aol.com/rickybulldog/wilson3.html

The last question I have is this: I remember seeing, I believe Spalding or Rawlings, gloves containing a train or trolley car button and one containing an airplane. Does anyone know the significance of these?

RBD

It is my understanding that the "train buttons" or "choo-choo buttons" were put on gloves during the second world war. The buttons were made for the uniforms of train conductors or train engineers. During the war the glove companies had to take what was available to make their gloves. The same thhing might also apply to the buttons with airplanes on them - maybe made for pilot's jackets.

My Wilson 615 split has the train button. I've seen a few of these pop up on ebay recently...great quality glove, and I love showing off the button... a little history lesson.

Fred and I are in agreement on the train/plane buttons possible history. I think (can't remember for sure?) that I projected this idea earlier in a newsletter and maybe on this forum our conductor theory on the train and plane buttons. The train might have been the old Zephyr type that ran between Chicago and Denver. There's an older looking train button too.
Also Glover Alex Brenner has run a dating pattern on the Reach and Spalding patches, near approximating their dates of use. I have some of these photocopied and will send them out to anyone interested.
Veteran Glover Doug Wolk has been a long-time collector of the different patches and this can be a fascinating area of the hobby. Glover Mark Walters has a nice dating pattern of the Rawings patches. As long as I've been associated with Nocona, you'd think I could put together someting on Nocona's patch dating.
It was a common practice to put the patches on the top-level gloves rather than the low end.
Another interesting aspect of the hobby would be to see how many different types of glove buckles (small, big, reverse, etc.) one could assemble.
I know this Dave Cunningham's new book on the glove webs will be essential to that part of the hobby. Order information will be in the latest newsletter which will start hitting the day and week after Christmas.

Over the years I collected images of buttons and patches. I have a CD ROM with several hundred pictures of them. I will try and post a few when I get a chance.

Alex

This is a label I haven't seen before.



C&S Sporting Goods
Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, TX

A high quality glove, endorsed by Hig Higbe
Wish the shell was as nice as the lining, overall a decent display glove [/img]

I think that the Spalding Airplane Button refers to "The Spirit of St. Louis". the Charles Lindbergh plane.