Vintage Johnny Walker Baseball Glove, circa 1960s

This is a vintage Johnny Walker baseball glove from the  early 1960s . The glove has a barrel web design and laced fingers. The model number is visible along the heel pad of the glove “Johnny Walker Model No. FG-202.” It is stamped with “Pre-Formed Pocket” in the glove’s pocket, “Professional Model” along the thumb, and “Full Grain Cowhide” along the little finger. The glove has a Johnny Walker red embroidered tag along the wrist strap. 

From 1960 to about 1977, the Johnny Walker Brand of sporting goods was distributed through Gibson's, which specialized in sporting, fishing, and hunting goods.  The brand was named after Johnny Walker,  a Major League Baseball first baseman and catcher. Walker played with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1919 to 1921 and was the full-time first baseman during much of the 1921 season. He batted and threw right-handed.

Before gloves were invented, baseball players played the sport with no padding or protection at all. It was not until the late 1800s that gloves were introduced and not until the 1920s when the mitts would have as much padding as was needed. By the 1920-1940s, the baseball glove featured a split-finger design that created a pocket in the center for the ball to land in. By the 1940s, fielder gloves by companies like Rawlings, Wilson, and MacGregor were being designed to make it easier for infielders to pick up grounders and get the ball into the throwing hand quickly. For outfielders, gloves were designed to help the player snag a fly ball on the run, with deep pockets so the ball would stay put when the fielder inevitably hit the ground after making a diving catch. The 1950’s saw the beginning of laced fingers and full one-piece leather webs started to dominate the era. The web continued to develop in the next decade, from the 1950's style of one-piece anchored, triple-tunnel webs, and large triple-lock webs, to the 1960’s style of more solid one-piece webs, tightly laced to the thumb and forefinger.

CONDITION:

Overall good used condition. Some small stains along the back. Front is very clean and bright, with leather stitching and machine stitching intact. Wear along the edges, from past use. Dimensions: 9"H x 9 1/2" W x 3"D.