Alex Taylor & CO.

Alex Taylor & Co. which at one time was one of the major Sporting Goods store located in New York, N.Y. was established in 1897. Originally located on 16 E. 42nd The company relocated several times in Manhattan's Time Square area, until it's closing and final location on 38th street. It is not known when the company went out of business but like most of the independent outlets, they most likely succumbed to the onset of the large chains.

In 1897, Alex Taylor, founder of Alex Taylor & Co. started as a clerk at a sporting goods store called Johnson & Stoughtenburgh. In 1901, Taylor bought a half interest in the firm, making it Johnson & Taylor, then in 1908 he bought out Johnson and moved to 16 E. 42nd. The company carried a large line of equipment for a variety of sports that included; basketball, lacrosse, fencing, skiing, golf, tennis, Football & baseball. Alex Taylor & Co. would also become a major manufacture of hockey equipment & Jersey's used by the NHL. The sporting-goods store relocated to 22 East 42nd Street in 1921.

Alex Taylor noted changes in sporting equipment by 1947. "Baseballs were dead. They got a cork center in 1909, which speeded them up a trifle. It was the switch from American to Australian yarn in 1920 that made them really fast. Baseball bats, on the other hand, haven't changed at all. I have a new magnesium bat in my office here, but I doubt if it'll ever take the place of wood. Just doesn't feel right." (this statement was made roughly 23 years before the introduction to Aluminum baseball bats.)

American League owners of MLB teams provided baseball, bats, and gloves to the doughboys serving overseas, as part of the WWI "Bat and Ball fund." Alex Taylor & Co. placed an advertisement in the Stars and Stripes that showed a hurdling doughboy over the caption "Athletes Make the Best Fighters" That advertisement then announced that the company had been awarded a contract to fill the sports need of the troops.

Alex Taylor & Co. baseball Bat center brands feature an interesting instruction "THIS SIDE UP" stamping within the label. The catalog numbers include No. 1, and models with initials; No. C.T., No. O.P., No. C.B. No. C.Y. The "CRACK-A-JACK" model might be the Alex Taylor & Co. version of the Hillerich & Bradsby line of Cracker Jack bats, made popular in the 1920's. Crackerjack is a colloquialism meaning "of excellent quality" Hillerich & Bradsby bats were also advertised along side the few Alex Taylor & Co. bats in the Alex Taylor & Co. catalog which would mean that Louisville Slugger manufactured the bats for Alex Taylor.

I have found an Alex Taylor & Co. baseball bat that featured a decal on the barrel, but too much was missing to make out what it pictured or read.

MORE PHOTOS


Alex Taylor & Co. No. C.T. Baseball Bat With "This Side Up" stamping	Alex Taylor & Co. Crack-A-Jack C.Y. Baseball Bat

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1924 Alex Taylor & Co. Baseball Bat catalog ad