Blog Archives
Navy Slugger, Army Lumber
We often discuss items that have been on our “want” lists for extended periods of time and when such items are located, there is a tremendous sense of accomplishment. In some instances, we have merely speculated that an item, such as a game program or scorecard, must have been created for a game and then we hold out hope to find one (see: Keeping Score at Nuremberg: A Rare 1945 GI World Series Scorecard). In other areas of baseball militaria curating, we are fully aware of the existence of artifacts but have fallen victim to limited budgets or poor timing. With the highly competitive market for military-marked World War II baseball bats, we have found specific examples to be entirely elusive.
In the past few years, we have been able to curate an assortment of wartime baseball bats; however, we have been limited to sourcing just two of the four known branch markings. In our May 11, 2021 article. Batting Around: Special Services U.S. Army Equipment Drives the Military Baseball Market, we spotlighted military markings found on wartime bats along with factors that influence collector competition and valuation. Aside from player endorsements found on military-marked bats, bats marked with “Special Services U.S. Army” are by far the most heavily sought. Bats marked with “U.S. Army” (sans “Special Services”) are a close second in terms of desirability, while “U.S.N.” and “U.S.”- marked pieces bring up the rear. The Chevrons and Diamonds bat collection has consisted entirely of bats marked with the latter stamps.
Condition has also been a factor that has allowed us to acquire the pieces in our collection. Often purchasing items that have been abused or neglected and show substantial signs of decay and wear, we have taken on bats that collectors would not consider acquiring as firewood, let alone displaying as a prized artifact. If we determine that a piece can be reconditioned and repaired while preserving the aesthetics, we will take pieces with such efforts in mind. To date, we have experienced success with a handful of pieces.
Searching for pieces endorsed by 1930s and ‘40s legends and marked with the elusive service stamps has proven to be a source of frustration. Our previous experience leads us to keep our expectations extremely low when a prospective item becomes available at auction. We bid amounts that are within budget only to watch the prices reach 200 percent or more above our bid and well above reason. Service-marked bats that are in excellent or better condition attract bidding that goes far beyond our top price and we watch them pass by.
In the last quarter of 2021, one seller listed in succession six or seven wartime service-marked bats with endorsements, including Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner and others, each featuring some of the most sought-after branch stampings. It was obvious that the group of auction listings pointed to a collector’s carefully curated collection that was in the process of being liquidated and the market responded accordingly. Each listing was highly contested by several bidders, driving prices to several hundred dollars for each piece. By the end of November, all the listings closed and we were unable to compete for any of them.
During the holiday season, a few individual auction listings for wartime service bats surfaced. One of the items was a Hillerich & Bradsby Safe Hit Johnny Mize Model bat marked with “U.S. Army” on the barrel. Viewing the accompanying photos, it was clear that the condition of the bat was excellent despite indications of game use. All the branded stamps were deep, dark and very visible and the wood surface still held the manufacturer’s original finish. A subtle irony regarding the service stamp was that Mize served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Athletic Specialist First Class Mize enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March, 1943 as his New York Giant teammates were weeks-deep into spring training. The manager of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station Bluejackets, Lieutenant Gordon “Mickey” Cochrane, had an established pipeline serving as a feeder to keep his team’s roster stocked with pro ballplayers when they entered the Navy. Cochrane’s Bluejackets landed a true power hitter in Mize as he joined a team that included several former major leaguers, including Frank Biscan, Tom Ferrick, Joe Grace, Johnny Lucadello, Barney McCosky, Red McQuillen and Johnny Schmitz.
Johnny Mize was transferred to the Naval Training Center at Bainbridge, Maryland, where he was slated to play for the base team while in a training program. Unfortunately, baseball was not an option for the slugger as an illness kept him on light duty, excluding all physical exertion as he convalesced.
By the spring of 1944, Mize was on the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands and assigned to the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay. He was promptly assigned to the base’s baseball team, the Klippers. In addition to his playing for the Klippers club, Mize also played for various All-Star teams and on the Navy’s Service World Series team that defeated their Army counterparts in four straight games in the autumn of 1944. In early 1945, Mize joined an assemblage of Navy ballplayers for a weeks-long tour of the western Pacific, playing exhibition games to boost the morale of troops stationed on the islands (see Johnny “Big Jawn” Mize, WWII Service and His Elusive Signature).
As 2021 was winding to a close, it became apparent that the bid we placed was going to succeed and deliver to our collection its first U.S. Army marked piece. Perhaps it was the timing of the holidays and the pre-payday-post-Christmas financial crunch many people face that led to the limited competition at the auction that afforded us this win. The well-packed Johnny Mize model bat arrived safely and without any complications. Upon close examination of the wood grain, knob, barrel and brand marks, we were quite pleased to note that the condition was better than was discernible in the auction images.
With the addition of this bat and several other items that we have curated for the Chevrons and Diamonds Collection, the new year is off to an incredible start!
Wartime Service Bats:
- Healing Battle Scars: Double Ott Rejuvenation – October 16, 2021
- Batting Around: Special Services U.S. Army Equipment Drives the Military Baseball Market – May 11, 2021
- “Game Used” Lumber: Wartime Service Adds Meaning for Collectors – October 31, 2020
- Tools of the Trade: Wartime Equipment used by (Former) Professional Ballplayers – July 9, 2020
- Charlie “King Kong” Keller Rattles the Woodshed ending a Yearlong Silence – May 8, 2020
- Hard to Find Military Sticks: “Double-X” Joins Our World War II Baseball Lumber Pile – April 9, 2019
- Ted Williams: BATtered, Abused and Loved – February 7, 2019
See also:
- Johnny “Big Jawn” Mize, WWII Service and His Elusive Signature – September 12, 2019
- Klipper Day: Marking the End of a Season – April 30, 2020
- Scorecards and Programs: Service World Series, 1944 – Hawaiian Islands
Healing Battle Scars: Double-Ott Rejuvenation
Now that the regular season of baseball has ended and the postseason is underway, the ballparks have fallen silent as players pack their personal effects and head off to their off-season activities. For curators and collectors alike, there is no down time as artifacts require attention whether for care and maintenance or for acquisitions and research. Earlier this year, we spotlighted the maintenance program which we use to care for and preserve the leather fielding equipment in our collection (see: Maintenance Stop: Caring for 75 Year-Old Fielding Leather) and also planned to document preservation processes used for other artifacts in our collection
Baseball bats, like gloves, are a highly tangible and tactile part of baseball history and represent one of the most significant aspects of collecting. To most collectors, a wooden implement that has been turned on a lathe, sanded smooth and applied with a finish, would not appear to require much, if any, preservation. For a substantial percentage of collectible bats, limited intervention is all that is required. However, many of the military-used bats have been subjected to years of use and improper storage, resulting in destabilized wood cells, grain separation and even decay (rot).
World War II bats, while not entirely scarce, can be quite a challenge to source. When they do surface on the market, they are typically well-used and replete with more than their share of battle scars, cracks, divots and other signs of long-term abuse. Often stored for decades in harsh environs and exposed to moisture, paints and solvents, service-marked baseball bats tend to have hardly any aesthetically pleasing traits that would make them display-worthy. Our U.S.N-marked Ted Williams signature model bat was in such poor condition when we acquired it that it appeared to have been used to smack line drives with crushed stones (see: Ted Williams: BATtered, Abused and Loved); however, with cautious preservation it is now displayed among our rarest baseball artifacts.
With retail or store-model bats, the brand and model markings are lightly applied with stamps and colored foil (most often black) to simulate the burned brands seen on professional bat models. Through normal use, the foil flakes away, leaving a faint indentation that is barely discernible. One of our earliest non-military bat acquisitions, an early-1950s, Ferris Fain signature, store-model bat, was completely devoid of the black foil. After cleaning and reconditioning the wood, we carefully restored the brand, model markings and Fain’s facsimile autograph with display-worthy results (see: Close to Completion: Restoring a 1950s Ferris Fain Signature Model Bat).
In May, we provided guidance on Hillerich and Bradsby store-model bats that were stamped and distributed throughout the armed forces during World War II (see: Batting Around: Special Services U.S. Army Equipment Drives the Military Baseball Market). In focusing attention on the two levels of “H&B” store models, player-endorsed (which feature facsimiles of player autographs) and player models (marked with the catalog number “No. 14” and the “Safe Hit” brand), we spotlighted the most prevalent of service-used bats. Offerings in these two lines are pursued by collectors who focus on specific players and include the potential of acquiring two different bats associated with a favorite player.
We have several service-marked, store-mode bats in the Chevrons and Diamonds collection with player endorsements, such as those of Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Charlie Keller and the aforementioned Ted Williams. While we prefer to source bats with endorsements from players who served, we take pieces as they become available, regardless of the player’s name stamped onto the barrel. A fair amount of these wartime service bats tends to be associated with the game’s legends, such as Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Jimmie Foxx, Babe Ruth and others who did not serve during WWII, if at all. Yet other bats endorsed by players who served, including Charlie Gehringer, Joe DiMaggio, Musial and Williams, are of great interest to military-focused curators and collectors. In some instances, drawing correlations between players and the armed forces in order to satisfy an unwritten acquisition rule can make for an enjoyable exercise in the exploration of the notion of “six degrees of separation.” Perhaps it is more honestly stated that stretching facts in order to justify an accession of a non-veteran-associated bat came into play with two specific pieces within our collection.
By the fall of 1944, 34-year-old Mel Ott, longtime right fielder for the New York Giants, achieved his twelfth All-Star selection and finished his third season as the manager of the team that finished fifth in the National League. With a lengthy list of Giants players serving in the armed forces, including Johnny Mize, Morrie Arnovich, Buddy Blattner, Ken Trinkle, Harry Danning and Willard Marshall, Ott signed on with the USO to visit the troops and provide a morale boost to the men who were engaged in pushing German forces out of the nations they occupied. Joining Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bucky Walters, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Frankie Frisch, and Washington Senators pitcher Dutch Leonard, Mel Ott and the rest of the men traveled to the European combat theater.
The men saw the war in ways that Americans could not comprehend as their tour put them in front of GIs whom they addressed from makeshift stages in precarious conditions. These included being on flimsy platforms in shambles that were once buildings during some of the worst winter weather conditions on European record. Their tour took them into Belgium as the Wehrmacht began their massive offensive that would be known as the Battle of the Bulge. Wearing Army combat uniforms, the ballplayers toured areas that were, at times, within a half-mile of the enemy lines. Dutch Leonard recalled the following spring, “I’ve gone through some bad winters around my home in Illinois, but what we had on the trip around the front beat anything I’d ever experienced. No matter how much I put on, I never felt warm.” The players witnessed the horrors of combat just hours after an appearance. Leonard continued, “…and the boys who listened to us at night would be in action the next morning.” Ott and the rest of the men did not back out of their mission despite the harsh and dangerous conditions and instead pressed on to finish the tour. Appearing before more than 300,000 GIs, the men took the time to engage with the service members after the shows, signing autographs and talking baseball.
Recognizing Mel Ott’s Hall of Fame playing career along with his time spent with the troops, we acquired a “U.S.” marked Melvin Ott Model H&B Safe Hit bat that had some condition issues but would make an aesthetically pleasing display once meticulously cleaned and conditioned. Just weeks after receiving the Safe Hit Ott model, a “U.S.N.” marked, Mel Ott signature model became available, which we did not hesitate to add to the collection. The condition of the U.S.N. bat was as close to “poor” as could be without being worthless in terms of collectability.
In assessing the condition of each Ott bats once in hand, it became quite apparent that both would require considerable reconditioning effort to stabilize and make them presentable among the other pieces in our collection. Our approach to conditioning is to preserve as much of the original wear and natural aging as possible while removing the decades of accumulated dirt and foreign substances. Once the surfaces are prepared, we assess the condition of the brand marks to determine if additional intervention should be taken and restoration work done. One of the challenges in collecting service bats in particular is that they have seen a lot of use after the war.
In the post-war years, the armed forces began to sell off outmoded or aged equipment that was considered surplus as each branch of the military contracted to significantly reduced manpower sizes. Baseball equipment was sold as inexpensive alternatives for industrial and Little League teams and advertisements proliferated in periodicals such as The Sporting News, featuring military-marked mitts, gloves and bats. Though some equipment sold was in new condition, having never made it to the GIs, much of it was used before beginning another cycle of game activity.
Both of our Mel Ott bats showed significant use, including breakage and field repairs in order to extend their usefulness. Broken bat handles complicated our rejuvenation process, adding multiple steps as we strove to maintain the aged appearance. After gluing a break, the removal of excess glue and the smoothing of the wood surface required abrasives such as sandpaper which easily cleared away the oxidized top surfaces and left behind a new, lighter surface.
The Ott Couple
The condition of our Safe Hit, Melvin Ott Model, H&B (catalog) No. 14 bat was fair. The crack extending from the upper reach of the handle towards the backside of the center brand was not obvious when viewing the stamped markings, which meant that the bat could be left as it was and displayed to conceal the most severe damage. However, with paint and what appeared to be tape residue on the barrel, restorative work had to be done, including closing and stabilizing the crack. Working through the process, we worked to remove the paint and soften the discoloration left behind by the tape. Desiring to retain the original patina of the wood, our crack repair did not conceal the crack, but when we completed our efforts, the crack appeared less obvious than it was when we acquired the bat.
Describing our second Mel Ott bat as a basket-case would be a mild description. With nearly all of the black foil worn or flaked off, little remained of the contrasting markings. Fortunately, the impressions were quite deep, leaving the brand, model number and signature somewhat visible. The upper third of the handle was wrapped in grip tape, leaving a rather unusual appearance. Applied decades ago, the tackiness was long gone, having left behind an almost shell-like covering over the handle. To properly preserve and revitalize this piece, the tape was removed, revealing a sizeable crack. As with the Safe Hit Ott bat, the ensuing crack repair was minimal in order to preserve much of the aged and worn appearance while providing stability to the bat.
Revitalizing Methodology
Considering that both bats required cleaning and removal of layers of dirt, grime and other foreign substances, we employed a safe and very mild adhesive remover (Goo Gone) possessing subtle solvent properties and, with light application, is safe for wood finishes. With stubborn substances such as paint, we combined the solution with .000 fine steel wool and a light pressured motion moving with the woodgrain to begin stripping away the surface buildup. To preserve the original finish of the bat, we took our time with the most difficult areas. Once we were satisfied with the results, we removed all the loosened material with a clean cloth that was lightly soaked in the solvent. Once the Goo Gone had fully evaporated, the next step was to address the cracks.
Our process for repairing cracks was rather lengthy. Two essential elements that we used were carpenter’s glue and enough clamps to provide enough compression to squeeze the crack tightly. After carefully and generously applying glue into the full extent of the crack, pressure needed to be applied so that it forced the excess to emerge. Wiping away the excess, we allowed each bat to sit for 12 hours before releasing the clamps.
With the glue hardened, the next step was to use an abrasive to smooth away any remaining excess glue while limiting removal of the aged finish from the surrounding areas. Inevitably, some of the surrounding wood surface would be impacted and could be addressed in a subsequent step. For each of our bats, we briefly employed 240-grit sandpaper to wear down the heaviest glue deposits before switching to 800-grit to remove the majority of what remained. To ensure a smooth surface, .000 steel wool removed the last remnants of the excess glue.
With the crack repairs complete, the area surrounding the crack was lightened due to excessive material removal and it almost screamed of repair work. Since the wood of both bats was hickory, the aged finish darkened to a reddish-brown hue. Applying a rub of wet coffee grounds directly to the area provided a subtle stain to soften the brightness of the fresh wood surface.
Evaluating the brand stamps and lettering applied to each bat, we determined two separate paths to address the dulled appearances. With the Safe Hit Ott bat, the brands were applied deep enough that they were quite visible and merely needed to have the dirt and dust deposits carefully removed. We determined that the signature Ott bat would be negatively impacted by any attempts to manually restore the center brand as it remained somewhat visible. However, the signature and the U.S.N. stamp were candidates for restoration.
Restoration of black foil stampings can be a challenge. In assessing the impressions, some first-time restorers may be inclined to use a black art ink pen with a fine tip. Considering the porous nature of the wood, the cellular structure is absorbent and will draw the ink away from carefully applied lines and leave an unsightly and amateurish appearance, regardless of the careful hand-applied markings. We recommend using fine tipped acrylic paint pens. The black paint does get absorbed into the wood and mistakes can be easily corrected (wiping with a paper towel). Once the marks have dried, the black paint is easily aged. With careful and precise application, the “U.S.N.” stamp and the impression of Mel Ott’s signature were filled with black paint however, some excess extended beyond the lines which we opted to address once the paint cured. After the paint dried overnight, the appearance did not align with the markings of a worn and battered bat. Using a fresh piece of steel wool, we began to remove the excess paint. The result of the synthetic distressing resulted in an aged appearance of the markings.
Utilizing toothpicks to remove crusted dust and dirt from the Safe Hit Ott bat’s stampings revealed a much more crisp and dark impression for both the barrel and center brand markings. After preparing the stamps and marks, each bat was ready for a final cleaning before applying the surface-conditioning linseed oil.
Before applying the conditioning, the surfaces of the bats required one final surface cleaning to remove the debris and dust and to ensure a clean surface to receive the oil finish. Using a clean cloth or fresh paper towels generously saturated with the gentle solvent, we thoroughly wiped down each bat, ensuring that all substances were removed. With another 24 hours of drying, we undertook the last step of coating the wood with linseed oil. This final step might have taken a few applications over the course of multiple days. We allowed the bats to absorb the oil and to dry coats. When the wood no longer absorbed the oil, the excess was wiped away and the bats were staged to provide for complete drying.
The ultimate step of our process was to gently buff the wood with a clean and dry cloth, which brought a dull shine to the wood, revealing its natural beauty, emphasizing the years of use and providing a visually pleasing artifact for display.
Related Chevrons and Diamonds Articles
Vintage Bats
- Batting Around: Special Services U.S. Army Equipment Drives the Military Baseball Market – May 11, 2021
- “Game Used” Lumber: Wartime Service Adds Meaning for Collectors – October 31, 2020
- Tools of the Trade: Wartime Equipment used by (Former) Professional Ballplayers – July 9, 2020
- Charlie “King Kong” Keller Rattles the Woodshed ending a Yearlong Silence – May 8, 2020
- Bat Restoration: New Life for Ferris Fain’s Signature lumber – August 8, 2019
- Hard to Find Military Sticks: “Double-X” Joins Our World War II Baseball Lumber Pile – April 9, 2019
- Ted Williams: BATtered, Abused and Loved – February 7, 2019
- Close to Completion: Restoring a 1950s Ferris Fain Signature Model Bat – July 10, 2018
References:
- KeyMan Collectible Louisville Slugger Dating Guide
- WWII Professional Equipment Fund (KeyMan Collectibles)
Equipment Fund Raising Events
- A Passion for the Troops: Joe E. Brown’s All Pacific Recreation Fund – October 17, 2019
- Service All-Stars Raising Funds on the Diamond for their Comrades in the Trenches – October 2, 2019
*- Hubler, David, and Joshua H. Drazen. 2015. “The Nats and the Grays: how baseball in the Nation’s Capital survived WWII and changed the game forever.”
Market Observations: Sports Militaria Trends
It is incredible that we are more than halfway through the summer of 2021 and well into the latter six months of the calendar. The Chevrons and Diamonds Collection has experienced steady growth that has been capped off with a few fantastic additions. With the current local, national and global news shedding light on the immediate and long-term future as being anything but promising, we have focused our attention instead upon extracting history from the artifacts that have arrived since January.
Consider this story to be a mid-year report card of sorts as we reflect upon the bright spots of baseball militaria curating and our role in telling the story of these artifacts and the people who were a part of the history that the items are connected to. Only a handful of our 2021 acquisitions have been featured in a Chevrons and Diamonds article and some of our social media followers have wondered when they might see those other artifacts receive consideration and in-depth coverage. Digging into the details regarding ballplayers gives us an opportunity to see their contributions to the war effort and the positive impact these players had during their service careers.
We have acquired an incredible selection of vintage photography, much of which answered longstanding questions. Many of our recent photograph acquisitions served as an impetus to prepare highly detailed narratives of ballplayers’ wartime careers both on and off the military diamond. Some of the highlights of the photo-driven pieces include stories about Hugh Mulcahy (Southern Region Service Baseball Dominated by Former Pros: Mulcahy and Gee), Red Ruffing (Red Ruffing, an Airman’s Ace) and our most recent work detailing Pee Wee Reese’s naval service (The Navy’s Little Colonel: Chief Athletic Specialist Harold “Pee Wee” Reese). Considering the research advancements made through the photographs displayed in those articles, more discoveries have been revealed in photos that we have yet to share.
A few autographed baseballs that are centerpieces in our collection arrived this year. One of the balls, a team-signed 1949 Washington Senators piece, features several autographs from players who served during WWII. One of the names inscribed, Mickey Harris, is featured in an assortment of vintage photographs that we also acquired this year. Harris is depicted while serving and playing baseball in the Army in the Panama Canal Zone (Visual Traces of a Wartime Service Career). A second baseball features select members of the 1943 Norfolk Naval Training Station’s “Bluejackets” (Bluejacket Ink – Professional Base Ball Fund Signatures) and our first softball addition is highlighted in another article (A Hall of Fame Softball Greeting).
It may seem that a considerable amount of our attention is given to vintage photography and to ballplayers while in some readers’ opinions not enough is spent on the artifacts of the game such as equipment and uniforms. Perhaps such thinking amounts to fairly assessing our activities; however, such articles are simmering on the back burner while we serve up what has been cooking for quite a while. A simple self-assessment reveals that we have not focused enough attention on the pieces that predominate in most militaria and baseball collections. Our article regarding wartime bats and the present market status (Batting Around: Special Services U.S. Army Equipment Drives the Military Baseball Market) resonated quite well with readers as did our piece detailing our glove and mitt care and conditioning program (Maintenance Stop: Caring for 75 Year-Old Fielding Leather). Unfortunately, just two articles regarding equipment don’t quite address collectors’ needs or align well with what has been happening within the marketplace.
One of the more bothersome trends that we touched upon in May concerned the state of baseball memorabilia and the skyward-bound prices that are being realized. The wild spending appears to demonstrate that new entrants in the market who are in search of “anything related to military baseball” are willing to buy nearly anything, no matter the condition or cost. Bidding wars for online auction listings, while a boon for sellers, set unrealistic expectations that will take considerable time to recover from once the free-spending trend reverses course.
For baseball collectors, the delineation between their game and softball is well defined. For a small percentage, there may be some interest in pursuing artifacts from both sports but for the most part, softball items generate a significantly smaller amount of collector passion. The same cannot be said for militaria collectors seeking to add a bit of visual interest to their displays and to give some insight as to the day-to-day activities of soldiers, airmen, marines or sailors during World War II. Since baseball was our nation’s national pastime, gloves, mitts, bats and balls do just that.
In the militaria sphere there are discerning collectors who pursue baseball equipment that is exclusively service marked. Beyond that small percentage, it appears that the rest of the collectors in that area are less concerned about the game and instead zero in on the military markings on the equipment regardless of it being baseball or softball-centric. The emphasis on ensuring authenticity of the display drives collectors to pursue a piece that adds an accurate aesthetic. When collectors are accustomed to spending hundreds on each piece as they complete a World War II airborne sergeant’s combat uniform, pack, weapons and web gear, unknowingly overpaying for a baseball piece is easy.
Market prices for 1940’s softball gloves in good condition can vary from $20-30 on average, though buyers can pay more for new old stock (gloves that are unused and in their original boxes). For everyday softball leather, such a range in price is normal regardless of the presence of military markings. Twelve months ago, service branch-marked gloves sold consistently with their civilian counterparts.
Less than two weeks ago, the phenomenon we have been observing with service-marked baseball bats became the norm in the softball glove market. To the seller’s credit, the glove was fairly well described, though it was identified as a baseball glove. “Up for bids is a vintage World War II U.S. Army Special Services baseball glove manufactured by Gold Smith.” Regardless of the other stampings or the glove’s design, the only identification that mattered to the three bidders pertained to the U.S. Army’s entertainment branch that was responsible for disseminating recreation equipment to the troops. To militaria collectors, that designation equates to the piece being an authentic, service-used artifact.
Softball gloves from the 1940s are easy to spot without checking for model name or numbers. A quick inspection of the glove’s palm reveals the double-stitched area that accommodates the larger diameter ball to be caught by deflecting it inward towards the webbing. This particular model not only features the stitching but the stamping that is arched over the GoldSmith logo confirms that it is not a baseball glove. The seller’s description continues, “The glove is stamped with ‘Gripper Stopper’, ‘Licensed Under Pat. No. 2231204’, ‘Gripper Pocket’, and in the center of the pocket I can make out ‘Soft Glove (sic) – GoldSmith – Cincinnati – Made in US’.” Concealed in the fold between the middle and third finger is the word “BALL,” which when seen in the context of the full marking, reads “Soft Ball Glove.”
The condition of the glove would be fair-to-good with considerable wear on the leather edge binding in the normal areas including the wrist opening . The leather appears to be supple and soft despite the years of accumulated dirt adhered to the hide. The lacing grommets are not heavily worn nor do they show signs of corrosion. It is difficult to determine the condition of the lacing, though it seems that replacing it would be recommended at the time of cleaning and conditioning the entire glove.
The stamp that drives militaria collectors wild: “Special Services U.S. Army” is stamped into the wrist strap just below the GoldSmith wordmark. These service markings were applied by the manufacturer (eBay image). 
The overall condition is generally fair-good. Most, if not all of the dark soiling can be cleaned off. Restringing the webbing would make this a nice example for a militaria collection (eBay image).
When the softball glove was listed, the $25 starting price was already at the upper end of the normal market range for a softball glove in this condition, leaving it out of our consideration. Following the first bidder’s opening amount of $28 placed on July 22, it became clear that the item was now the target of militaria collectors. Three days later, the eventual winner placed his (unknown) top bid. On July 29, a few days before the close of the auction, another potential buyer dropped seven bids in succession in a span of under 60 seconds, raising the price from $29 to $201.50 before giving up and raising the winning bidder’s purchase price by $172.50. While it isn’t possible to see the specific items purchased by bidders, one can see the categories in which they focus their spending. In analyzing the purchase habits of each bidder, it is easy to determine that all three are heavily into militaria collecting rather than vintage sports equipment, which serves to underscore our assessment of the change in the market pricing.
Missing one of the webbing tunnels and in considerably rough condition, this $44.96 minimum bid demonstrates that the seller is paying attention to the market’s insanity. The US-stamped softball glove is hardly worth saving at any price (eBay) 
Considering its poor condition, it is surprising that the seller was successful in snaring interest. Perhaps the buyer was lured into the listing title that incorrectly states that this “U.S.” stamped piece is marked with “Special Services U.S. Army” (eBay). 
Due to its Special Services U.S. Army marking, this softball glove has a bidding war at play that has so far pushed the price to 4-times its value (eBay). 
Heavily worn and in fair condition, this GoldSmith softball glove has a solo bid at $67.00. The $15 shipping fee makes this listing a goldmine for the seller (eBay).
Since June 14, 2021, there have been two other examples of the same GoldSmith softball model gloves that have sold through the online auction site. Bearing the same Special Service U.S. Army markings, one glove sold for nearly three times the market value at $67.00. In generally poor condition, the glove didn’t draw nearly the same attention as the latest iteration. An earlier listing featured the same glove in similar condition to the $201.50 iteration but lacked the Special Services markings, bearing only a “U.S.” stamped onto the wrist strap. This piece sold for approximately four times its value at $99.
A check for non-service models shows four 1940’s GoldSmith softball gloves lacking service markings that sold for prices ranging from $10 to $25, further underscoring our assertion that militaria collectors are fueling the temporary spike in prices for service-marked items.
This 1940s GoldSmith softball glove is in fair condition and would clean-up quite nicely. With just a few days remaining, it has no bids (eBay). 
This wartime Globe-brand softball glove sold for less than $11 and had just a single bidder (eBay). 
A true split-finger glove, this Nokona softball piece features a ridge along the thum, heel and pinky finger. With seven watchers, it is possible that it will command a winning bid above $30 (eBay). 
This 1940s Rawlings DW12 model softball glove was likely sold for considerably less than the $23.70 asking price. The glove is in fantastic condition (eBay).
There are always exceptions as realistic prices can be realized as well as good deals for those who do their homework and are patient. Whether your objective Is a service-marked baseball glove or one for softball, taking the time for due diligence both in understanding the market and being in possession of glove knowledge will assist you in acquiring the correct glove for the right price.
Chevrons and Diamonds 