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The J.H. Grady Manufacturing Co. was
organized as a subsidiary of Rawlings
Sporting Goods in 1923 for the
production of Rawlings baseballs. John
Henry Grady, who made baseballs for
Rawlings as a youngster, was named
President. The factory opened in with
100 employees at 1310 North sixteenth
Street, and in 1931 moved to 927 Tyler
street St. Louis. MO, a little more
than 1 mile away. In 1946 Rawlings
acquired the J.H. Grady Production
Organization. This was Rawlings' entry
into baseball and softball creation.
This acquisition paved the way for
Rawlings to develop into the official
baseball of Major League baseballs in
1977.
John H. Grady assignor to J.H. Grady held a number of patents for the
manufacturing of baseballs and
softballs. The J.H. Grady Trademark "Duro
seam" was patented in 1932, and was
used by all the Major baseball
manufactures including Spalding, Reach,
Wilson and Rawlings. The "Duro seam"
Softball was used as a logo on this
letterhead. The "Duro seam" was a
patented method for sewing a hidden
seam, with a smooth surface to insure
longer wear. Another 1928 J.H. Grady
patent was used by Rawlings called "Duo
Center" The center core AKA "Pill" used
a combination of vulcanized sponge
rubber, and pure gum rubber.
This 1940, J.H. Grady MFG. Company letterhead displays the March 30 -
April 6, National Baseball Week
information at the bottom. The logo
depicts Uncle Sam taking a mighty swing
with a baseball bat, and loosing his
top hat. Dating back to 1919 the
U.S. department of commerce declared
National Baseball Week. It was held
just before the baseball season,
usually around the last week in March
or early April.
The Idea came from a Texan writing to the editor of The Sporting News.
Publisher J. G. Taylor Spink ran with
the idea and it became an annual
marketing event for many years. The 10%
war tax placed on sporting goods in
1917, was hurting the industry. The
National Baseball Week was designed to
promote the game of baseball, and
offered 'playground ballplayers' the
chance to purchase baseball equipment
at a discount.
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