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WLS -
Worlds Largest Store
Baseball Bats |
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Item Details |
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MANUFACTURING PERIOD
1925-1930's
MANUFACTURER
Louisville Slugger
for the
Sears Roebuck
and
Co.
Chicago, Illinois
Information
Provided by:
Keymancollectibles.com
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In 1923,
Sears, Roebuck and Co. decided to start
up a radio station to address and
target the lucrative farming market.
When the station signed on in 1924 they
broadcasted farm reports and weather
information. The station was original
assigned the call letters WBBX, and
during the test period they used the
call letters WES (World Economy Store)
At the last minute the change was made
to WLS which stood for 'World's Largest Store.'
The Radio Station used the logo with
the Electric Bolt "WLS" lettering, as
it is used on the baseball bat. From
1908 until 1961 Sears, Roebuck &
Company sold a wide variety of sporting
goods, under the brand name "J. C.
Higgins." John Higgins was the manager
of the headquarters' office
bookkeepers. In 1908 John Higgins
consented to Sears the use of his name
for a new line of sporting goods. Since
he did not have a middle initial, Sears
added the "C."
The 1912 Sears catalog ad below show the J.C. Higgins baseball bats
using 4 digit model numbers starting
with "69--" By 1920 model
numbers in the "1600's" were used for
all their sporting goods, and in 1925 when Sears
sold the WLS "Worlds Greatest Store"
baseball bats, a 4 digit number starting
with "17--" was used as the model
number. This included the J.C. Higgins baseball bats.
The 4 digit 1600 model numbers were
exclusively used for baseball gloves
after this time. The 1700 model numbers were exclusive to
Sears baseball bats even after 1961,
when sears introduced the Ted Williams
brand of sporting goods, replacing the
J.C. Higgins brand.
The 1930 catalog ad below shows the
J.C. Higgins signature model bats with
the 1702-1707 model numbers, that were made for
Sears by "The maker of the famous
Louisville Slugger Bats." This would
lead to the conclusion that the Hillerich & Bradsby Co. also
manufactured the WLS baseball bats.
Sears Roebuck and Co. sold the WLS radio station in 1928. By that time
they most likely ceased to produce the
WLS baseball bats but continued to sell
the overstock into the 1930's. Along
with the J.C. Higgins line of baseball
bats, Sears also sold bats with the
"Worlds Largest Store" center brand,
removing the Electric Bolt "WLS" logo.
The model number "1724" also confirms
that these bats were manufactured
no earlier than the 1925 era or before
the WLS bats.
The "World's Largest Store" slogan was
also used by Macy's department store,
and these bats are often confused to be
sold by them. This could be dismissed
as Macy's used a 5 digit catalog number
starting with "43," for their sporting
goods, and the 4 digit 1700 catalog numbers, clearly belong
to Sears. Macy's sold baseball bats made
by companies such as Draper & Maynard,
or Louisville Slugger. They never sold
a privately branded Macy's baseball bat.
The WLS "World's Largest Store"
Baseball bat models included: Big
League Baseball Bats; model 1706 as
advertised "similar in size & balance
to the bat used by Babe Ruth" (but it
doesn't note if this line of bats were
signature models), 1708 (Roger Hornsby)
1709 (Eddie Collins) 1705 (Ty Cobb)
1700 Lefty O'doul, and 1713 Al Simmons. All
endorsees of Louisville Slugger. "WLS"
League Bat 1712, "WLS" Youths'
Professional Bat AKA Favorite Bat 1714,
"WLS" Junior League Bat 1716, and the
1717, 1721 Official Indoor Bats. The
"World's Largest Store" 1724 baseball
bat is the "American League" model.
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MORE PHOTOS |
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| WLS Radio Sears World's Largest Store Flyer |
1912 Sears JC Higgins catalog ad |
1927 Sears WLS baseball bat ad |
1930 Sears WLS baseball bat ad |
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KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
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