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The
Ken-Wel No. 34M, Official Softball mask
features an electric welded, clear
vision wire frame, with wool stuffed
soft glove leather padding. This style
frame was used by most manufactures
throughout the 1940s to through the
1970s. The difference being with the
padding attached to the frame. This No.
34M, Official Softball mask is also
listed in the 1959 Kennedy Sporting
Goods catalog, dating the Ken-Wel mask
to before 1952.
In 1952, the Kennedy Sporting Goods MFG Co., a new company headed by J.
Lawrence Kennedy purchased the Ken-Wel
Sporting Goods Co. of Utica. Lawrence
Kennedy was not related to the Ken-Wel
Kennedy brothers. The Ken-Wel building
was not part of the purchased, which
remained in the ownership of the firm
selling the business. The new company
leased the space in the building and
continued to produce the company's
brands. “Kennedy” replaced the “Ken-Wel”
brand name on some of the products. The
company operated until 1960.
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