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Old Thompson Glove

December 9 2008 at 12:48 PM
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Response to old glove

The player's name is "Henry" Thompson and he was known by the nickname "Hank". The three-finger glove design was popular in the 1950's and that corresponds with the years that Thompson played.

Of note: Hank Thompson was one of the earliest black players in the Major Leagues- the third, in fact. He first played for the St. Louis Browns in 1947, the same year that Jackie Robinson debuted, then for the powerhouse New York Giants teams of the 1950's. He was also one of the first black players to actually have his endorsement appear on a glove.

All of the Hank Thompson gloves found to date were produced by the Denkert company. They also produced these gloves for other companies, which would then be sold with the other companies logos and stampings. Gloves from the Drier company don't turn up very often- they were a small sporting goods company based in New Jersey that marketed their products mostly on the east coast. But, sight unseen, I would be willing to bet this glove was produced by Denkert under contract with Drier, in the mid-1950's.

While Thompson-endorsed gloves carry some historical footnotes, they are not especially valuable. Tons of them were produced- plenty exist today to satisfy any collector value. Thompson was not a superstar player, so the demand is not high. To top things off, these gloves were usually cheaply made, with thin leather and vinyl trim, and smaller in size, more suitable for children or young players.

An average used Thompson glove is listed at just $15, a near-mint example at $60.

If you can post a photo, or email me through the address on my website, I can offer a more exact appraisal of the glove's condition and value.

The Glove Shop: www.freewebs.com/thegloveshop

 
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