Chevrons and Diamonds

1945 GoldSmith “Official 97 League” VS-57 Baseball

VetCollector
1 minute
Special Services U.S. Army – “GoldSmith Official 97 League” baseball – dated May 1945. U.S. Navy’s Scouting Squadron 57 (courtesy of Kurt Stauffer).

GoldSmith-made “Official 97 League” baseballs were a long-running model dating from the 1930s and into the 19450s. Based upon the manufacturer’s stamp in the north panel combined with the presence of the patent statement beneath the model stamp, this one dates to late in the war (1944-45).

Note the seldom seen stamps indicating that this ball was distributed through the Army’s Special Services (courtesy of Kurt Stauffer).

In addition to the ball’s specifications and patent number, GoldSmith stamped the ball for the Special Services branch of the United States Army, indicating its distribution path. How it ended up with a Navy fixed-wing scouting squadron is a mystery.

Autographs signed by members of VS-57 on the Special Services U.S. Army – “GoldSmith Official 97 League” baseball – dated May 1945 (courtesy of Kurt Stauffer).

This particular ball came from the estate of the former commanding officer of VS-57 and was apparently signed by members of his unit and dated, May 1945. The signatures on the ball have been shellacked over to protect the ink from rubbing off. As an aside, shellacked baseballs can be problematic if the coating begins to breakdown and flake off causing erosion of the leather covering and the autographs.

(courtesy of Kurt Stauffer)

Scouting 57 was a land-based unit that was part of Composite Fleet Air Wing Two, Group and assigned to Naval Air Base Noumea (Tontouta Airfield) on the island of New Caledonia.