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Derby Ball &
Edwards Corp. Baseball
Bats |
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Item Details |
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MANUFACTURING PERIOD
1920's-1938
MANUFACTURER
Derby Ball & Edwards
Corp.
Derby Bat Corparation
Barre, Waterbury,
Vermont
Information
Provided by:
Keymancollectibles.com
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The Frost, Derby & Co., originally
manufactured scythe snaths and was founded in 1857
by Albert Derby. In 1882, Franklin P. Ball,
joined the firm which was then renamed
Derby & Ball. In 1920, the Edwards &
Edwards Co. merged with Derby & Ball
forming Derby, Ball & Edwards Corp.
With the demand for Scythes dropping
out of the market, the company began
the manufacturing of baseball bats under
Derby, Ball Edwards Corp. In
1933 the company made bats under
the name Derby Bat Corp., in Barre,
VT, after they moved the factory from
Waterbury. The bats were only made for
a few more years when the Derby bat
Corporation went out of business in
1938.
In 1931 the Derby, Ball, Edwards Corp. advertised that the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in testing
Mountain treated ash reported that the
the bats were stronger and snappier
than untreated ash. "The Derbymade bats
have Mountain Wax around the cells....a
new process which makes the Derbymade
bats the best" The patented
"Mountain Treatment" was
a unique way of integrating
materials into the cells of the wood of
the bat. Another feature on Some
Derbymade bat models is the "EYE
FOCUSED" logo "which helps the eye" I
haven't figured that one out yet.
There were 4 different center
brands. In
Chronological order:
- The first
has a diamond shape with a "DBE" logo
in the center with "MODEL" and "7" on
each side. The outer Boarder reads
"DERBY, BALL, EDWARDS, CORP." at the
top, "WATERBURY VERMONT" at the bottom.
- The Second is the "DERBYMADE"
oval center Brand with "DERBY,
BALL, EDWARDS, CORP." at the top, and
"WATERBURY VT" at the bottom.
- The Third center brand is the "DERBYMADE"
oval with "Trade Mark." & "Derby
Bat Corp." at the top with "BARRE
VERMONT" at the bottom followed by the
Model No.
- The fourth has a
"Derby Made"
script logo, with "DERBY BAT CORP" at
the top and "BARRE, VERMONT" at the
bottom
Models include:
Derby Ball
Edwards Corp. Waterbury Vt. no
200 (Pepper) "Martin Type" Derby Player
type #300 Model CRO(NHV),
Ethan Allen
No. 2, & No. 10,
Eddie Roush model IM,
Wally Berger, and
Indoor model. Derby Bat Corp.,
Barre, Vermont #200, "Super
Hit" Model no. 100. Professional Model
HOH, No. 125.Derby Special FOF, & GEG,
Derby Player Type no. 300 model GEG,
Professional N0. 50, Playground No. 75,
No. 175 model RYR. The company also
made mini bats.
Interesting to Note: in a January 13, 1933 newspaper it was
reported that J.A Hellerich, makers of
Louisville Slugger "purchased the
Derby-Ball-Edwards bat company,
including patented processes for making
bats." The story was retracted 3 days
later as being "erroneously reported."
The January 15 article went on to state
that J.A Hellerich only purchased
"personal property connected with the
baseball bat business, and
did not
secure any patented process" I'm
suspicious of the last part of that
statement as this is the same time
period that Louisville Slugger patented
their "Powerized" process for treating
baseball bats. The 1931 description
made by the Derby-Ball-Edwards bat
company about the "Mountain Treated"
baseball bats is similar to the "Powerized"
Patent granted to Louisville Slugger in
1933.
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Derby Ball & Edwards
Corp. Baseball Bats |
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| Derby Ball Edwards Waterbury, Vermont |
Derby Bat Corp Barre, Vermont |
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DERBYMADE Derby Ball Edwards Corp.
1931 Boy's Life Baseball Bat Advertisement |
Wally Berger "How I Broke In"
Derbymade Booklet |
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Derbymade "Eye Focus" feature |
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KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
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