Blog Archives
Maintenance Stop: Caring for 75 Year-Old Fielding Leather
Proactively managing a collection of artifacts that are decades old is necessary in maintaining and stabilizing pieces from decay and deterioration. Proper storage is required in order to prevent deterioration caused by environmental conditions; however, most collectors lack climate-controlled storage, the financial capacity for preservation and the required space to provide museum-grade protection for these treasures. Perhaps the baseball memorabilia most vulnerable to environmental harm are those made from animal hide such as baseballs and gloves.
- Three WWII service gloves made by GoldSmith. These Elmer Riddle “DW” models each bear a stamp in the wrist strap indicating branch of service. The glove at the top is marked for the Army while the other two are Navy stamped (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The service branch stamps are visible on the wrist straps of all three Elmer Riddle model gloves (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
The Chevrons and Diamonds Collection houses numerous gloves and mitts that either are associated with service teams or were used by service members during World War II. When each glove is acquired, its present condition is analyzed in order to determine immediate preservation steps and prepare for an ongoing plan.
Cleaning 75-year-old (and older) leather is not an undertaking for the faint of heart and must be done with the utmost care. Each glove must be analyzed for its condition and the approach to cleaning and conditioning must be uniquely tailored to mitigate damage to an age-compromised artifact. In some situations, leaving the glove as is may be the best option. Products used for the Chevrons and Diamonds collection are devoid of petroleum-based substances. Anecdotes describing the oiling of gloves (to include a wide array such as olive, vegetable and even motor oil) may have been applicable decades ago; however, time has proven that such substances should be avoided. Our products of choice for cleaning include Horseman’s One Step (for basic cleaning), Fiebing’s Saddle Soap (for intermediate soiling) and Fast Orange Smooth (for heavy, stubborn grime accumulation). It is important to remember that following the application of the cleaning product, it must be lifted away with a dampened clean cloth, rinsing frequently as the cloth becomes soiled.
1943 GoldSmith “DW” Elmer Riddle model U.S.N. fielder’s glove (before):
- The stamps are difficult to discern and the combined effect of the dirt and drying leaves the glove with a mottled appearance (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The License and patent numbers are a bit obscured due to the dryness of the leather (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Though some cracking is visible in the edging of the wrist strap and opening, the material is in good condition. The U.S.N. stamp is clearly visible on the back of the strap (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Before the initial cleaning, this GoldSmith Elmer Riddle model shows signs of being very dry and moderate soiling. Our cleaning and conditioning process will reinvigorate the leather after nearly eight decades of aging (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The webbing and lacing in the Elmer Riddle “DW” U.S.N. stamped glove is in good condition. The eyelets show some degree of verdigris but will improve with cleaning (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Many collectors forget to pay attention to the inside palm of their glove. This leather would get saturated with sweat and accumulate a lot of dirt with use. Cleaning and conditioning will breath new life into the hide (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
We have received gloves in many different states, ranging from dry rot, stiff and brittle and caked with filth up to clean, hardly used and pliable soft leather. The condition of each piece dictates the steps that we take prior to adding it to our collection for display or storage. The first glove in our collection remains the worst one we have seen. Covered with mold spots and horribly brittle, the U.S.N.-stamped GoldSmith piece lacked its webbing and the lacing was disintegrating inside the zip-seal bag that it arrived in. It smelled horrible and took weeks of airing out to mitigate the odor enough to handle it (see: A War Veteran Who Never Served). While we were able to reduce the impact of the damage and stabilize the deterioration, the glove could not be restored as the horsehide was too heavily damaged.
1943 GoldSmith “DW” Elmer Riddle model U.S.N. fielder’s glove (after treating):
- Cleaned and conditioned, the glove is ready for display or to catch a few tosses on the diamond (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The webbing in this U.S.N. GoldSmith Elmer Riddle now looks as it did when the glove was new (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Now that the hide color is even and the surface is conditioned, the characters stand out (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- After cleaning, this glove is ready for (display) duty (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- As should be anticipated, the wrist strap darkened as it softened with the conditioner. Much of the soiling in the palm lifted as well (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Gripping a ball is easy, especially now that the leather is even more soft and supple. Bending the fingers is a cinch (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
Another piece that we acquired a little more than a year ago was an early 1940s Rawlings “MO” model Mickey Owen signature catcher’s mitt bearing the “U.S.” stamp, indicating its use in the armed forces. The condition at arrival was quite good, with the cowhide being soft and very pliable; however, it was very dry and in need of conditioning. One troublesome region on the mitt was a small area of water damage located in the palm. Black staining surrounded the portion of the hide that had tissue separation, with the surface of the hide having eroded away. While unsightly, the damage didn’t dramatically reduce the aesthetic qualities of the mitt. After a round of cleaning and conditioning, the mitt was stabilized (see: Vintage Leather: Catching a Rawlings Mickey Owen Signature Mitt).
- The Mickey Owen mitt is once again vibrant and fresh. The palm stains aren’t quite as obvious after the preservation process (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Despite some wear on part of Owen’s signature, it is still discernible and includes some of the original silver foil (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The silver foil stamped Rawlings brand mark and the “MO” model are still visible despite nearly eight decades of wear and aging (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The back surfaces is almost like new as if Mickey Owen himself could don this mitt and receive some fastballs (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The U.S. and Mickey Owen signature stamps are in fair condition (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Rawlings “New-Grip Streamlined” feature (with the thumb loop) is stamped onto the exterior back of the thumb (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The wrist strap edging is a bit tired and so is the lacing (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The bottom lacing and sheepskin backing of the wrist strap are in excellent condition (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The only lacing on the Mickey Owen mitt that needed replacing was on the adjustable wrist strap which we replaced a few days after re-conditioning the surfaces (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
These two gloves are at opposite ends of the condition spectrum, each requiring an individual approach to preservation and stabilization. The water-damaged U.S.N. GoldSmith glove, once it was ready to be handled, required a delicate and deliberately methodical approach to re-hydration and removal of the soiling and some of the more severe mildew and mold. In addition to the initial treatment, the pre-existing water exposure necessitated multiple reapplications of the conditioner as the hide continued to absorb it. At present, the glove is far better and requires only an annual conditioning as the horsehide has become much more stable. In the year since we cleaned and conditioned the Mickey Owen mitt, the leather dried out once again, though not to the degree that it had when it arrived, though it was notable.
To re-treat the Owen mitt, we did a brief cleaning with Horseman’s One Step to remove dust and any debris that had settled onto the leather. With the surfaces being quite stable, a soft and damp terrycloth towel was used to apply the Horseman’s, with methodical attention focused from one small area to the next until the entire surface of the glove was addressed. The cleaning was followed by a generous application of Nokona Glove Conditioner applied directly, using a finger while gently massaging it into the hide and leaving the surface with a shiny, “wet” appearance until it was fully absorbed.
Our management plan includes scheduled intervals with reminders for visual inspection of each glove. While some gloves, such as the aforementioned U.S.N. Goldsmith glove, require quarterly inspection and the potential for subsequent treatments, most of our gloves are relegated to annual evaluation.
1945 MacGregor GoldSmith “DW” Joe Cronin signature model fielder’s glove:
- In addition to the service gloves and mitts in our collection, we have a few pieces not marked as military gloves such as this GoldSmith MacGregor “DW” Joe Cronin signature model fielder’s glove (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- From all angles, the Cronin glove looks to be ready for on-field use (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Joe Cronin’s signature stamp is very pronounced and deeply set into the hide. Cleaning and conditioning the glove makes the stamp truly stand out (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The curling of the fingers could be the result of being folded into a uniform pocket or just improper storage. Conditioning the hide could allow the shape to return to normal over time (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Not unexpectely, the webbing laces are stretched thin and are a little sloppy. The two-tunnel web was introduced with the “DW” model in 1942 (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The new MacGregor GoldSmith logo found its way onto the wrist strap button. (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- Goldsmith began adding “MacGregor” to their glove labels in 1944, effectively changing their name to MacGregor GoldSmith. Cronin’s last year in baseball was 1945 which would date this glove to 1944-45. This label was used into the early 1950s (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- As with our service gloves, we have our other leather pieces on the same cycle of evaluation and maintenance. Preserving the softness and pliability of old horsehide will ensure this glove’s survivability for decades to come (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
With the end of the first month of 2021, we have competed the reconditioning of three gloves and one mitt from our 10-piece service collection. (In addition, we also have several non-service, vintage gloves.) In the coming months, the remainder of the collection will be checked as part of the normal preservation cycle. The end of the year also prompted us to address any deficiencies in preservation supplies with necessary reordering. With ample cleaners and conditioners, we won’t miss any intervals and we will be able to tend to any additions to the collection as they arrive.
Glove Cleaners:
- Horseman’s One Step (for basic cleaning)
- Fiebing’s Saddle Soap (for intermediate soiling)
- Fast Orange Smooth (for heavy, stubborn grime accumulation)
Glove Conditioner:
Sea also these Chevrons and Diamonds related stories:
- An Intercontinental Wartime Veteran – S/SGT “Chick” McRoberts’ Rawlings “Bill Doak” Model Glove
- Catching Corpsman: The Search for a Ball-Playing WWII Pharmacist’s Mate
- Tools of the Trade: Wartime Equipment used by (Former) Professional Ballplayers
- 75 Years Later, WWII Navy Baseball is Still Giving
- Navy Wartime Leather: Extracting History From a Vintage Glove
A War Veteran Who Never Served
With a few of my earlier posts, I have covered some of the professional ball players who temporarily traded their professional flannels in exchange for a uniform of the armed forces. While some of these men filled the ranks both in combat and support units, others used their professional skills to provide the troops with a temporary escape from the harsh realities of the war by providing them with a taste of home that can be found within the lines of the baseball diamond.
According to Gary Bedingfield’s extensive research, more than 4,500 professional baseball players placed their careers on hold in order to serve in the effort to defeat fascism and tyranny that was sweeping across Europe, Asia and the South Pacific. There were more than 500 major league ball players who served in the armed forces throughout the more than four years of the war (including the last few weeks of December, 1941 when many players like Bob Feller rushed to enlist). Conversely, there were roughly 2,800 men who continued to play major league baseball during the same period, avoiding service for a myriad of reasons (age, unfit for duty, etc.). I have focused this blog on two over-arching subjects; baseball militaria – items used on the diamond (or in relation to it) by servicemen who may or may not have played the game professionally; the people who played the game during their time in uniform. Today’s post, while centered on a contextual (to this blog) object, it also addresses one of the nearly 3,000 MLB players who never served and yet was well-represented on the diamonds across both the European and Pacific theaters during WWII.
Before I delve into the subject matter of this article, I must first offer a disclaimer that I am decidedly not a baseball glove collector nor do I possess any measure of expertise on this very interesting area of baseball collecting. With this being the Chevrons and Diamonds blog where I provide research and insight pertaining to baseball militaria, my interest is more broad. As I researched this topic, I realize that expertise in military gloves and mitts are significantly more specialized and as with other areas of military baseball, is limited (at least that is my assertion) as compared to baseball gloves outside of what was used during the war.
As a Navy veteran, I tend to focus my collecting interest around naval-themed items and within the realm of military baseball, I remain consistent. When I began looking at obtaining a baseball glove for my collection, I found a World War II vintage model that was rather ragged and yet held my interest as it was stamped, “U.S.N.” across the wrist strap. Before making the purchase, I took note that the glove was also missing the web between the thumb and index finger and that there were fragments of the leather lacing remaining protruding from a few of the heavily-oxidized eyelets. I considered the condition and weighed it against the current pricing trends and decided to make the purchase, thinking that I would be able to get the glove into shape.
- From a distance, this glove doesn’t appear to be in the poor condition that it truly is. The first few treatments of the leather has yielded positive results and yet it will never truly be a showcase piece.
- The wrist strap is slightly rolled over the “U.S.N” stamped lettering. Notice the missing webbing and lacing between the thumb and index finger.
- U.S.N. is stamped into the wrist strap of this 1942-44 GoldSmith DW Elmer Riddle signature model glove (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).
- The leather on the backside of the fingers is in the best condition. Treating the finger-leather resulted in making the glove considerably more supple.
- The pocket and lacing are clearly absent from my US Navy-stamped GoldSmith Elmer Riddle DW model glove.
- On the glove’s heel, the “DW” letters are more visible just above the “Hand Formed Pad.” The lacing eyelets are not as corroded as those for the webbing. The leather shows signs of cracking and flecking off. The dark spots, in my opinion, are mildew or mold areas.
- Barely discernible in this image, “Inner Processed” can be seen at the center of the palm; “A Preferred Product” trademark and “DW” are visible just above my fingertips and the “ddle” of Elmer Riddle’s signature can be seen towards the upper right. Notice the cracking and flaking dried-out leather. This was after one re-moisturizing treatment.
- Inside the glove, the horsehide interior is not as dried out and damaged as the areas exposed to the elements.
When the glove arrived a few days later, I unzipped the two-gallon sized zip-locked bag to find not only was it, at one point water-damaged with remnants of mildew or mold, but also that the leather was dried and cracking. It was in far worse shape than I anticipated. Perhaps this was the reason that I was able to acquire it for less than so many other of the scarcer Navy versions had been selling at premium prices in the months prior to me pulling the trigger on this one. In the few years since, only a smattering have since been listed in online auctions. Regardless, this dried out, cracking and smelly glove is now in my possession and it is my desire to attempt to breathe new life into it with the hope that I leave it in better condition than when I received it.
I broke one of my self-established collecting rules; before I purchase it, I had virtually no understanding of vintage glove models, styles, manufacturers or the many details that a true glove collector can recite with ease. My extent of knowledge stems from examining vintage photographs and taking a peripheral view into what a fielder or position player may have on his catching hand. To me, the all generally appeared the same. Until I began researching for this article, I hadn’t spent any time attempting to understand how diverse and expansive vintage baseball glove field really is. In the coming months, I hope to take some deeper dives into this area of collecting as it pertains to military service teams and the gloves that were issued to the members of the armed forces.
- These letters were not visible until I treated the dried out leather a second time. Close inspection of the surface of the leather reveals the degree of the damage.
- The discoloring of the leather and the dryness completely concealed Elmer Riddle’s signature (along with the “Trademark” lettering).
- Notable in the 1938-44 GoldSmith logo, “A Preferred Product” is visible at the top of the glove’s heel (directly above the “DW”).
- This GoldSmith logo (as shown on the Pete Reiser JCL model glove) is what was once prominent on my Elmer Riddle model (imagesource: eBay image).
After a cursory pass in working over the dried leather of my Navy-issued glove (with Horseman’s One Step Leather Cleaner & Condition), I began to see some of the markings that might lead me to determine the manufacturer. One of the obvious markings was the “DW” stamped just above the heel. After nearly two weeks (following the treatment of the leather), more of the manufacturer’s stampings and markings began to emerge as the leather became supple and started to return to its previous shape. Beneath the DW, “Hand Formed Pad” was discernible. Towards the pinky-finger side of the palm, remnants of a signature were visible – “Riddle” with “Trademark” centered directly below. A quick search of the web revealed that the glove was a GoldSmith Elmer Riddell fielder’s glove model.
Armed with details of the make and model of the glove, I spent some investigating the details in trying to confirm the age (I wanted to be certain that the glove, though marked as a U.S.N., that it was, in fact, from the WWII time-frame). I also wanted to gain a little bit of an understanding about the other information present on the glove:
- Inside the glove on the heel pad:
- Horesehide Lining
- On the outer heel pad:
- DW
- Hand Formed Pad
- On the pinky side-edge:
- Elmer Riddle (signature)
- Trademark
- In the palm:
- Inner Processed
- GoldSmith (logo)
- a Preferred Product (trademark)

The 1938-1944 P. GoldSmith company logo along with the “a Preferred Product” tagline as printed on a vintage baseball (image source: KeyManCollectibles.com).
To properly date the glove, the logo is the most revealing aspect (which, in the case of my glove is partially discernible). As with so many companies, logos changed during significant events (such as mergers, ownership changes, spin-offs, etc.). Noting that my glove has the GoldSmith logo along with the “A Preferred Product” trademark, it predates the merger with the golf brand, MacGregor which occurred between 1945-46 (in 1946, the company changed their name and logo to MacGregor-GoldSmith). By 1952, The company was known solely as MacGregor. Prior to 1938, the company logo was different and the name was P. GoldSmith (named for its founder, Phillip GoldSmith). Considering the company name and logo, I am able to determine that the manufacturing date of the glove lies somewhere in the 1938-44 range. There is still more information that will narrow this date range down.

Elmer Riddle, pitcher (Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates; 1939-1949). Image source: Society of American Baseball Research (SABR)
The glove has a major-league pitcher’s endorsement (as indicated by the signature that is embossed), Elmer Riddle who played from 1939 to 1949 with the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. His best years were 1941, 1943 and 1948 (his only all-star season). Most likely, Riddle signed an endorsement deal with the P. GoldSmith Company during the early part of the war in 1942 following his ’41 19-2 season (he was the 4th runner-up in MVP balloting). With all of the information at my disposal I determined that my glove was made between 1942-44. Aside from my brilliant deduction skills, I am also fairly adept at tapping into available resources and knowledgeable experts. I reached out to a fellow collector who has a fantastic wealth of information in his site, KeyManCollectibles.com, specifically his Baseball Glove Dating Guide.
In viewing his archive of catalogs, the 1942 GoldSmith Preferred glove catalog shows the initial appearance within their Professional Model glove product line, sharing the page with the RL Model – with the Leo Durocher signature. The product description reads:

This page of the 1942 GoldSmith glove catalog shows the first year for the DW Elmer Riddle signature fielder’s glove (courtesy of KeyManCollectibles.com)
“Compact, flexible, streamlined, “Natural Contour” Model (Licensed under Pat. No. 2231204) bearing signature of Elmer Riddle, of the Cincinnati “Reds”. Genuine horsehide with full horsehide lining, and hand formed asbestos felt pad. Inner processed greased palm, oiled back. Leather welted diverted finger seams and reinforced thumb seam. Roll leather bound edge, roll leather bound wrist, leather laced through metal eyelets. Improved double tunnel web with leather connector, laced through metal eyelets. Wide leather wrist strap.”
(Note: seeing that the glove is constructed with asbestos in the padding, I need to be careful in handling the glove as the leather is cracking and could open up enough to create an exposure risk.)
In the process of learning about this particular glove model, I made an interesting discovery. As war was taking hold across Europe, American citizens began to change their stance regarding the conscription (or draft) of young, able-bodied men into compulsory military training as a means of preparedness for what was seemingly inevitable; the United States being drawn into war. With President Roosevelt’s signing of the Selective Training and Service act of 1940, the first U.S. peacetime military conscription commenced requiring all men aged 21 to 35 to report for 12 months of service. By 1941, the age range was expanded, reducing the minimum age to 18 and the upper age to 37 and extended the length of service to 18 months.
As I viewed Mr. Riddle’s stats, I took note that he had no broken time during the war which stood out as a curiosity considering that he was a 27 year-old athlete who was actively playing baseball. While many of his peers were helping with the war effort (away from professional ball), Riddle continued to play the game. During the 1943 season, Elmer Riddle had a very productive season, making 36 appearances (starting 33 games) and winning 21 (he completed 19). In 260 innings, he only surrendered 6 homeruns. How could he have avoided the draft (provided he didn’t volunteer)? There are a number of deferments that were applied to a large number of men who fell into the age range of selective service. One thought that often arises when discovering a person who didn’t serve during WWII is the only son or only surviving son provision within the Selective Service Act (the premise of the fictionalized portrayal of retrieving a sole surviving son in the film, Saving Private Ryan). However, this provision only applies to peacetime conscription. During a national emergency or Congressionally declared war, even sole surviving and only sons will be called to serve. What is baffling is that even Riddle’s older half-brother, catcher Johnny Riddle, played along side Elmer in Cincinnati, avoiding service in the armed forces.
Prior to the 1944 season, he reported (in March) for and passed his pre-induction physical. According to Riddle’s bio at the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) website, “The Army advised him to report to spring training while awaiting induction. Apparently, he was never called up, because, according to United Press sportswriter Jack Cuddy, he started the season ‘like a burning haystack.’”
While Elmer Riddle never served his country in the armed forces, his name, affixed to a lot of baseball gloves, saw action wherever GIs took breaks from combat action. According to Vintage-Baseball-Gloves.com, the GoldSmith DW Elmer Riddle glove is, “THE (sic) classic wartime glove. More of these were issued than all other models combined.” I can almost imagine players like Joe DiMaggio and Pee Wee Reese donning an Elmer Riddle glove as they took the field in one of their many service team ballgames. While most collectors might not enjoy it, I do see the lovely irony.
More details regarding the GoldSmith/MacGregor-Goldsmith DW Model Glove
GoldSmith (and MacGregor-Goldsmith) produced (at least) three DW models of the fielder’s glove:
- GoldSmith DW – Elmer Riddle (years played: ’39-47 CIN; ’48-49 PIT)
- MacGregor GoldSmith DW – Elmer Riddle G121 (front, back, original box)
- MacGregor-GoldSmith DW – Joe Cronin (years played: ’26-27 PIT; ’28-34 WAS; ’35-45 BOS [AL])
- MacGregor-GoldSmith DW – Buddy Kerr (years played: ’43-49 NYG; ’50-51 BOS [NL])
A few collectors noted that the initials in reference to models pertain to the original player for whom the signature model was created.
- MO – Mel Ott model
- PD – Paul Derringer model
- CG – Charlie Gehringer
- RL – Red Lucas model (subsequently becoming a Leo Durocher endorsed model when the LD Durocher was dropped)
- JC – Joe Cronin model (however the JCL model was a Pete Reiser signature model and yet Goldsmith never created PR model)
- HC – Harold Craft model (which transitioned to a Dixie Walker endorsed model)
Consistency is king in helping archaeologists, archivists and researches to easily map out how companies conducted their businesses and yet seldom do we find that they were consistent. As noted in the very brief sample of the GoldSmith/MacGregor-GoldSmith glove model list, the DW model did not have a ballplayer for whom the letters represented. It is assumed by collectors that it was created for Dixie Walker (most notable with his tenure in Brooklyn) and yet the glove he ended up endorsing was the (MacGregor-Goldsmith HC model (formerly the Harold Craft model). Why was the first player signature glove for Elmer Riddle the DW model rather than an ER?