Chevrons and Diamonds

WWII – Postwar Fielder’s Gloves

December 13, 2024

2–3 minutes

The “backstop,” “field general,” “receiver,” or “battery-mate” to the pitcher, the catcher is the only baseball defensive player who can see the entire diamond from their position. Aside from the protective gear, affectionately known as the “tools of ignorance,” the catcher’s unique fielding leather is designed to provide a measure of insulation from the impact of the pitches thrown from the mound, 66 feet, six-inches away. Until the advent of the hinge that allows the catcher to close the mitt around the ball, two hands were required with each pitch to ensure the ball is firmly planted before being thrown back to the pitcher.

At left is a very rare black-leather 1943 George A. Reach “COL” model glove stamped with “U.S.” The glove on the right is a 1942 Rawlings Bill Doak “H” model with hand-inscribed marking for the U.S. 5th Army. This glove was owned by Staff Sergeant Nick McRoberts.

These pre-1950s mitts are bulky and board-stiff requiring player behind the plate to be the most skilled and who can take the pounding of errant pitches, batters’ backswings, baserunner collisions and the occasional impact with the walls surrounding the backstop.

Catcher’s mitts seem to draw the most attention of our public exhibits due to their size and interesting designs and shapes.

This pair of GoldSmith “DW” Elmer Riddell model gloves were made in 1943 and feature a fully-laced heel as well as service stamps (“U.S. Army” and “U.S.N.”).
Later Elmer Riddell service gloves made for the armed forces were stamped with specific branch two-letter models: “UA” for Army and “UN” for Navy. Both featured stitched heels (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Date	Mfr.	Model	Military Stamp	Hand	Other Stamps
1944	Denkert	395	U.S.A.	Right
1944	Denkert	395	U.S.	Right
1945	DuBow	Genuine Calfskin	U.S.N.	Right
1945	DuBow	Professional	U.S.	Right	12-1945
1943	George A. Reach	“COL”	U.S.	Right
1943	GoldSmith	“DW” Elmer Riddell	U.S. Army	Right
1943	GoldSmith	“DW” Elmer Riddell	U.S. Army	Right
1943	GoldSmith	“DW” Elmer Riddell	U.S.N.	Right
1945	GoldSmith	“UA” Elmer Riddell	(see below)	Right
1945	GoldSmith	“UN” Elmer Riddell	(see below)	Left
1944	Hutch	“56” Ival Goody Goodman	U.S.	Right
1942	Rawlings	Bill Doak “H”	None	Right
1943	Rawlings	Bill Doak “H”	U.S.N.	Right
1945	Rawlings	Bill Doak “H”	Special Services U.S. Army	Right
1943	Wilson	615X	Special Services U.S. Army	Right
1944	Wilson	617X	U.S.N.	Right
1944	Wilson	617X	U.S.	Left
1945	Yale	F95SB	U.S.	Right	“May 1945”
1949	Uknown	Bob Doerr Autograph	U.S.	Right	July -49

GoldSmith’s Elmer Riddell “UA” and “UN” models were derivations of the “DW” model and were manufactured specifically for the the Army (UA) and Navy (UN). Instead of a laced heel, these gloves were made with a sewn or stitched heel, presumably to save on labor and material costs.