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MANUFACTURER
- Beaver Handle Co.
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The Beaver Handle Company started in Topsy Oklahoma
in 1942, by G. E. "Ed' Willhite, who
also operated a general store
there with his sons. The Willhites produced about $60,000 worth
of handles and bats annually from 1942
to 1955. G E Willhite, founder of the
business, moved near Topsy in 1942
after operating a small handle factory
in Beaver, Arkansas since 1935.
In an effort to keep off the federal government's relief rolls during the
Great Depression, Willhite started
making axe handles by hand with a hand
axe and drawer knife. He later bought an
antiquated lathe which he repaired to
make other kinds of handles. As a
result of enterprise and necessity to
fill his orders, Willhite acquired
additional equipment and in a few years
was making good living for his wife and
sons.
The Beaver handle company produced ash
file handles, truck jack, shovel,
hatchet, weed hook, post hole digger,
pick, hammer, axe, foot and ring maul
handles, and to be sporting about it,
baseball bats for sandlot play.
Baseball bats not of the big league
variety, which bear no trademark, were
sold for about .40 cents each to
truckers who delivered them to stores
in the Southwest.
Known BHC - Beaver Handle Co.,
baseball bats include this reverse
branded 'Little League Model 33' (33"
long) and a 31"
baseball bat without a model
identifying stamp.
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Beaver Handle Co.
Spavinaw OKLA. Baseball Bat |
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KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
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