Antique Baseball Glove Advertisements From the 1890's

The following advertisements are from a childrens magazine from the late 19th century. In the back of each issue were many different offers that children could send away for. Most of these offers required the children to get a certain number of friends to subscribe to the magazine in addition to a small amount of money. As you look at how old this equipment is, consider the following: When these ads were printed automobiles didn't exist, airplanes were years off, and Abraham Lincoln had been President only 30 years earlier!

	Notice how the catchers mitt appears to be a pad of some sort with a glove sewn onto the back, - and according to Joe Phillips, the Glove Collector - that's exactly what they were!		This ad shows an official Spalding base ball (it was still two words in 1893)

			The catchers mask above was given to those who sent in one new subscriber and $.50, plus an additional $.35 for postage. The ad even offers a "Sun Protecting Mask" which features black enamel wire "with a perfect shade for the eyes".