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This is a Worth-Lannon
Mfg Co. No. 912-c
"Professional Base Ball Fund" baseball
that was made
for the WWII version of the "Baseball
Equipment Fund" headed by Clark
Griffith in 1942. The Worth baseball
features the
"Stratatex" binding method
which was patented
by the Lannon MFG, Company in 1938. A
method of making the interior
construction of a baseball very
durable, resilient and-tough, capable
of resisting repeated hard blows and
the stress and strains commonly
incident to the playing of ball games.
With the onset of the U.S. involvement in WWI in 1917, Washington
Senators owner Clark Griffith launched
a plan to support our troops by raising
money to purchase athletic equipment,
mainly baseball gear, to outfit every
U.S. military training camp. Baseball
was considered essential to morale. The
Y.M.C.A. shipped 144,000 bats and
79,680 balls to the troops overseas
with the money raised by Griffith.
Since its inception in 1933, All-Star game profits were funneled to a relief fund
benefiting retired indigent
ballplayers. In 1941, the profits were
sent to the USO, to buy athletic
equipment for servicemen. Four days
after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor,
baseball executives established the
WWII version of the WWI "Baseball
Equipment Fund" renamed the "Bat & Ball
Fund."
Once again Clark Griffith took charge
along with National League President Ford
Frick.
With $25,000 raised by Major League
baseball, contributions by the writers
association of America, and all the
proceeded generated by the 1942
All-Star game Clark Griffith contacted
several Sporting Goods companies.
Griffith obtained a discounted price
for equipment from Louisville Slugger,
Goldsmith, Spalding, Wilson,
Rawlings
and Worth Sporting Goods Companies.
"Professional Base Ball Fund" baseballs
were produced by Worth, Goldsmith and
Rawlings Manufacturing Co.
The first order was for 18,000
baseballs and 4,500 bats. The equipment
was to be distributed among military
camps at the discretion of the joint
Army and Navy Committee on welfare and
Recreation. There were two types of
Kits put together during WWII. Kit-A
included a dozen baseballs and three
bats; Kit-B contained the catchers
gear, a mitt, mask, chest protector and
shin guards. It was reported by the
Sporting News that 6,000 kits were
shipped over seas, but 35 kits were
lost at sea as a result of a submarine
attack.
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