Ty Cobb Sporting Goods

[mikesglove]

William Jarvis was a bookkeeper and then manager for the sporting goods department of E.G. Studley Mill Store in Grand Rapids, MI. from 1890 till 1895. he later became a partner at the store and left in 1901 to organize W.B. Jarvis Co.


In addition to sporting goods, Jarvis was a main supplier of automobile accessories. The company marketed a popular heat indicator radiator cap.




between 1911 and 1914, W.B. Jarvis promoted their sporting goods equipment in a major way by establishing a store in Detroit and the addition of Ty Cobb as vice president of the company and the use of his name on all their sporting gear, from baseball to tennis to ice skates.


A circa 1915 magazine promotional ad


A circa 1915 W.B. Jarvis catalog



A selection of gloves and mitts.




Although Cobb's active participation in the company did not last past 1914, the use of his name continued on their merchandise. In 1924 Jarvis sold the sporting goods division to Herpolsheimer's Department Store of Grand rapids and W.B. Jarvis continued with their automobile accessory business.

The 1921 Herpolsheimer Department Store baseball cards are highly collectible