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1901-1907 Reach Official American League Baseball
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- CIRCA - 1901 -
1907
- MANUFACTURER - Reach
- SIZE - 5 oz. 9
inches
- PRICE GUIDE -
$2,500.- $5,000.
(Excellent - Near Mint
Condition)
$200.-$300. for the box
Information
provided by:
KeyMan Collectibles
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| 1901-1909 Reach
OAL Baseball |
1908-1909 Reach OAL
Baseball
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NOTES: |
The 1901-1909 Reach Official American
League Baseballs can be identified by the "1 Oz. Rubber"
stamp At the very bottom of the south panel (until 1910)
and the absence of the paten stamp on the sweetspot. Some baseballs made in
1908 and the 1909 baseballs have the league
president's Ban Johnson signature stamped on the east
panel with the year "1908" or "1909"
accordingly, below the name. (1909 pictured
above) From 1901-1907 baseballs that were used in League
play only, have the Ban Johnson signature stamp.
The south specifications panel reads "Warranted" "5 oz. 9
in." and "1 oz. Rubber" from top to bottom on the
1901-1908 baseballs, and in 1909 "Patent
Applied For" is added below the specs.
These Red & Blue stitched baseballs from the 1901-1909 era
are difficult to date because of their rarity and lack of
examples that have survived over the years. With less than
a handful to surface in auctions it is also hard to assess
an accurate value but the few that did, reach values between
$2,000.-$5,000.
To help date these baseballs we have to
rely on artist illustrations from Reach baseball guides
from the era. The accuracy of these illustrations can be
questioned as we don't know if the artist added or left out
details of stamping actually used. Below I have
included some examples from the Reach Guides which are
open for interpretation.
Image A is an illustration
from the 1903 Reach Official American League Base Ball
Guide. The baseball illustration features "Adopted By the
American League" Below "Official American League" on the
center panel. The Reach Trade Mark Logo on the north panel
does not have "REG US PAT OFF." stamp below it as seen on
baseballs from the 1909 era (pictured above). Possibly
left off by the illustrator. The south panel has the
typical "Warranted" with ball specs and the bottom line
reading "1 OZ. PARA RUBBER"
Image B is the full page
for the Illustration taken from the 1903 Reach OAL Baseball Guide.
The same page exists in the 1902 guide with the exception
that it reads "For the 1902 Season" not 1903.
But the Illustration of the ball is the same. It is
feasible that the Baseballs from 1901-1903 did read
"Adopted By the American League" as Spalding, the maker of
Reach baseballs had stampings on the National League
baseballs that reads "Patent Applied For" and the patent
dates were not added until 1910.
Image C Below,
from the 1903 Reach Guide, I believe to be just an
advertising Illustration but thought it would be worth
showing.
Image D is an illustration from the
1905 Reach Official American League Base Ball Guide. The
center panel no longer has the stamping "Adopted By the
American League" but the Reach Trade Mark and Ball Specs
remain the same. The 1904 Guide has the same Illustration.
Image E & F are illustrations from the
1908 Reach Official American League Base Ball Guide. This
illustration is more detailed showing the box which is
accurate. Note that the word ball is added after "American
League" The Ball spec remains the same as the 1904-1905
ball and still does not show the "REG US PAT PFF." stamp
below the Reach Trademark as seen on the baseball above.
Image G & H is an illustration from the 1910 Reach
Official American League Base Ball Guide and is very
interesting. It is the same exact illustration from the
1908 guide except for a super imposed stamp "Patented
April 6, 1909" below the "Official American League
Ball" stamp. I have never seen a baseball with this patent
date. It is possible that the illustration was made while
waiting for the patent to be approved. The April 6, 1909
patent date might have also been applied for the Rubber
center baseballs and the delay or the lack of using this
stamp might be because of the company switching over to
the cork center balls patented on August 31, 1909. The cork center baseballs might have
been made during the 1910 season but not used until 1911
as seen in Image I. The delay of production of the
cork center ball might have been due to the wait for
approval.
With all said it might be safe to state, if
your ball does not have a patent date or has a rubber
center, it was made in 1909 or earlier. As I find actual
baseballs with these stampings I will update this page
with the information.Back to the Official
American League Baseball Dating & price Guide
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