Leacock Baseball Bat

Robert James Leacock founded R.J. Leacock Sporting Goods in 1901 in St. Louis MO. Born in 1863 in Illinois, he moved to St. Louis in 1881 and worked in a variety of jobs including grocery clerk and postman before becoming the manager of the city bicycle and athletic department for the A. F. Shapleigh Hardware Company, a major wholesale hardware company based in St. Louis. He eventually became a manager and buyer in the athletic goods department and stayed in that position from 1896 till 1902. The Leacock Sporting Goods Company was the first retail sporting goods store in St. Louis, and became the leading retail sporting goods store in St. Louis.

The R. J. Leacock Co. was not a manufacture of goods but used established companies such as Rawlings who rented out space in the Leacock Sporting Goods Company Building, located at 921 Locust St. It has been documented that Rogers Hornsby, the Cardinals Hall of Famer, used a Leacock branded bat in major league play. The bat is believed to have been made by the Hanna Manufacturing Company of Athens, Georgia, evident by Hanna's trademarked "Steel Tempered" stamping on the barrel. This center brand that dates to the 1920's features the Model "No. 504" at the top, with "LEACOCK" in block letters, and "ST. LOUIS" at the bottom. Two known endorsements for the No. 504 Professional Steel Tempered baseball bats include: the Hornsby Type, and Sisler Type (George Sisler.)

The Leacock Sporting goods branded bats were made by Rawlings by the 1930's. Leacock carried a full line of Rawlings sporting goods in their retail store. These bats feature the Leacock script logo, with the model No. at the top, and St. Louis below. Models include: No. 55 Official Indoor bat, No. 5D Official Playground and Diamond Ball Bat, No 4H Hickory Playground and Diamond Ball Bat, 4H Official Soft-Ball, 3PB Official Playground Bat, 1PB Playground, 2PB Regulation Indoor Outdoor bat, 1PB Junior Playground Bat, LCB & 201 Corkball Bat, and No.35 Champion.

Leacock Sporting Goods Company Baseball Bat

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