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As early as 1924, the Crowell
Publishing Company offered boys the
opportunity to earn money or prizes.
Working as a Junior salesman they sold
and delivered magazine subscriptions
for; Collier's, Woman's Home Companion,
and American Magazine. In doing so, the
young entrepreneurs earned vouchers
that could be exchanged for cash or
prizes listed in the "Big Book of
Prizes." In the 1930's the Crowell
Publishing Company listed over 300
prizes in the 32 page catalog such as;
Bicycles, radios, and Sporting Goods,
which included baseballs, gloves and
baseball bats.
This circa 1937-1940 Crowell Publishing
Co. book of prizes lists baseballs, and
gloves on page 6. Baseball gloves
include: Crowell Prize book catalog No.
183 Bob Feller Wilson baseball glove,
at a cost of 80 gold certificates, No.
163 A generic "genuine horsehide"
practice glove (35 gold certificates),
No. 59 Wilson Bill Jurges glove (50
gold certificates), No. 65 Wilson first
base mitt (65 gold certificates), and
No. 200 Wilson catchers mitt (75 gold
certificates). Baseballs include: No.
51 (1934-1939) William Harridge Reach
OAL Baseball (35 gold certificates),
No. 52 Reach Babe Ruth Home Run Special
baseball (20 gold certificates), No. 62
Outseam Playground ball (25 gold
certificates), and No. 179 inseam
softball (25 gold certificates)
Three baseball bats are listed on
page 7. No. 56 Louisville
Slugger baseball bat (25 gold
certificates), No. 166 Wilson Indoor bat
(softball bat pictured - 15 gold
certificates), No. 55 Spalding bat (25
gold certificates). Manufacturers stock
images are used to show the baseball
equipment. Manufacturer catalog numbers
are not listed as well, so it is not
clear what was actually shipped by
Crowell. The only known baseball equipment
issued by Crowell Publishing that has
surfaced in the hobby is branded
"Crowell League." This equipment might
have been listed in Crowell
Publishing Co. prize books another year.
The
H&B
"Crowell League" branded baseball bats
were produced without a model number,
just a squiggly line after "NO.~~"
Wilson Sporting Goods also produced a
Crowell League baseball bat, without a
model number. The Reach 10G baseball
glove pictured in the 1929 Popular
Mechanics ad (below left column), was issued by
Crowell Publishing without the model
No. and has the "Crowell League" stamp.
A.J. Reach manufactures a
"Crowell League Baseball designed and
made exclusively for Crowell Junior
Salesman" was distributed by Crowell
Publishing Co.
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