Vintage MacGregor "Bobby Doerr" Baseball Glove

This is a vintage MacGregor G111 “Bobby Doerr” fielder’s baseball glove from the 1950s. The glove has a barrel web design and laced fingers. The model number is visible along the heel pad of the glove “MacGregor G1.1” It is stamped with “Bobby Doerr” along the little finger. The glove has a past owner’s inscription in marker along the back of the barrel web that reads, “1957, Age 10, Don Jones, [TK?] Pan-Am.” The wrist strap “MacGregor” button is still affixed.

This fielder’s glove design by MacGregor celebrates Red Sox legend Bobby Doerr.  Bobby Doerr was the second baseman for the Boston Red Sox from 1937-1951. Named to nine All-Star Games, Doerr was steady, consistent, and showed leadership on and off the field. Defensively, he led the AL in fielding percentage four times and in double plays five times. 

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. Marker past owner’s inscription along the back of the web. Dimensions: 10" H x 10" W x 2 1/2" D.