| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
-
MANUFACTURER
- Leavitt MFG Co.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Leavitt Mfg. Co. Urbana, Illinois,
was founded in 1891 by H. W. Leavitt at
Hammond, Illinois. In the early days
the concern was engaged primarily in
the manufacture of the Leavitt. V-blade
Dehorner. Dehorning is a common
management practice in order to reduce
the risk of injury and bruising to
other cattle, and
improve farm safety for farmers
and animal handlers.
The business was brought to Urbana in 1904 and was incorporated in 1905 as
the Leavitt Mfg. Co. By 1924 the
company was
engaged in the manufacture of the
nationally known "Knockdown" portable
bleachers. Knockdown bleachers, are
bleachers that can be folded and stored
away when not in use. They are often
used in indoor gymnasiums.
"Knockdown" bleachers were stalled at Atlantic City in September 1923
accommodating 23,100 seating capacity
for the famous beauty parade. The plant
was
turning out approximately 200,000
"knockdown" bleacher seats per year by
1924.
The Leavitt company manufactured the Gill javelin and discus invented by
Coach Harry Gill, the Gill baseball
bats, and Knockdown collapsible
bleachers for erecting temporary stands
at athletic events.
A former multi-event athlete and discus world-record holder, Harry Gill
coached at the University of Illinois.
In 1921 he organized the very first
NCAA championship in any sport, and his
Illini won the inaugural event in
addition to a second title in 1927.
Gill began coaching at Beloit College
in Wisconsin before he was hired as the
head track coach at Illinois until
1921, taking a brief break before
returning to conclude his career with
the Illini from 1931-33.
In 1918, he founded Gill Athletics, the track & field equipment
company, with a simple ash javelin. By
1922, his enterprise had become so
successful that he was able to offer a
full line of track & field equipment,
bleachers, javelins, track shoes,
etc...Gill Athletics is ubiquitous in
the sport today.
In 1940 Harry L. Gill, filed suit for $10,000 damages in the Champaign
County Circuit Court against the
Leavitt Corporation of Urbana. In his
suit, Gill charged illegal use of his
name in connection with the manufacture
and sale of athletic equipment. He also
asked an injunction restraining the
firm from further use of his name in
its business and an accounting of the
company's profits from sale of the
equipment. He asked that all profits be
paid to him. Gill passed away
August 31, 1956.
The Gill reversed branded baseball bats, manufactured by the Leavitt Mfg. Co.,
Urban, Ill., feature the
Gill trademark oval center brand. There
seems to be only one model produced,
and there is a bat with a Dick Reichle
branded signature. Reichle a native of
illinois graduated from Lincoln
Community HS in Lincoln, IL., in 1922,
and played played for the Boston Red
Sox from September 1922 to 1923.
|
|
| |
|
Leavitt MFG Co. Gill Baseball Bats |
 |
|
 |
|
The Daily Illini -
Urbana Illinois
Newspaper Ads
|
 |
 |
 |
|
1924 Newspaper
Ad |
1925
Newspaper Ad |
1925
Newspaper Ad |
|
|
|
KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
|
|
|
