| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
-
MANUFACTURER
-
Wood River Wood Products
Co.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
During World War II, many
manufacturers of sporting goods
equipment contributed to the war effort
by dedicating their time and materials
to making military equipment.
Louisville Slugger turned their
wood-turning skills to the production
of stocks for the M1 carbine rifle.
There was a wood shortage which
continued after the war and baseball
bats were a rarity during this period.
Unable to purchase supplies in
quantity for his sporting goods stores
in upper Alton and Wood River, Bill
Fisher of Wood River solved the problem
by establishing his own factory to turn
out bats, the scarcest item available
at the end of the war.
He organized the Wood River Wood
Products co. which during the peak of
it's production prior the opening of the
baseball season in 1947, was turning out 1,200
to 1,500 bats daily at his Kane Ill.,
factory. The quality was as good as
attested by purchases by the Dodgers,
Cubs, Indians and Browns, as well as
jobbers all over the country.
The factory also turned out orders for other Sporting Goods dealers in
Omaha, Neb., New Jersey, Lowell, Mass,
San Francisco and Pomona California.
Timber for the bats came mostly from
Calhoun, Illinois, and southern
Missouri. Only ash wood was used.
Having difficulty in running both his
Sporting Goods stores, and the Wood
River Wood Products Co. at the same
time, Bill Fisher put the bat
manufacturing plant up for sale in
1951.
There are four known survivors of the Wood River Wood Products Co. Baseball
bats of Wood River ILL. Two with an
octagon center brand "Made In U.S.A.,
Model 105" and a block letter "RUTH
MODEL" endorsement on the barrel. The
other two has a more elongated
octagon shaped center brand with
"Illinois, 105" centered in a diamond,
and a block letter "MUSIAL MODEL"
endorsement on the barrel.
|
|
| |
|
Wood River Wood
Products Co. Baseball Bats |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
|
|
|
