HATS WITH HISTORY

[Rick Blaine]

Yarbles

This hat is not the hat on the record.

NUTS!

I WAS noting the kettle curl & lack of dents on SR's hat.
Perhaps a promotional item for the albums debut?
But ...lots can happen in 57 years.
It could have been trimed/reflanged/reblocked. I am not quite, yet, ready to write it off ...yet, quite...

I have some infrared photo gear that may make the smeared embossing on the band more legible.

So what's the rationale for that rather abrupt & summery dismissal, Mr. Vic?

 

[carouselvic]

[QUOTE So what's the rationale for that rather abrupt & summery dismissal, Mr. Vic?[/QUOTE]

The sweatband, liner and size tag are not from the 50's. The brim and ribbon are not the same either.

 

[fedoracentric]

The sweatband, liner and size tag are not from the 50's. The brim and ribbon are not the same either.

I thought it looked more like a late 1960s hat.

 

[Blackthorn]

I thought it looked more like a late 1960s hat.

I thought so, too.

 

[Landman]

I think Stetson didn't start using that liner until the late 80's or 90's. It is the same liner they use today on westerns.

 

[RJR]

Agreed

 

[rclark]

This thread needs a bump! Thought I'd post some photos of an old Open Road and Stetson 100 case owned by former major league baseball player and manager Harry "The Hat" Walker. As a big baseball fan, this is a pretty special hat to me.









From Wikipedia:

"Harry the Hat" got his nickname from his habit during at-bats of continually adjusting his cap between pitches — there were no batting helmets in his day. His batting title came in 1947, when he hit .363 in a season during which he was traded from his original team, the St. Louis Cardinals, to the Philadelphia Phillies. The previous year he was one of the stars of the Cardinals’ 1946 World Series championship team. In the decisive seventh game against the Boston Red Sox, with Enos Slaughter on first base, Harry doubled to left center and Slaughter, running on the pitch and taking advantage of a slow relay from the Red Sox' Johnny Pesky, scored from first base with the winning run. He knocked in six runs during that Series, and batted .412. Harry lacked his brother Dixie’s power — he hit only ten home runs in all or parts of 11 seasons in the National League — but he compiled a .296 lifetime batting average with the Cards, Phils, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds and was to be famed throughout his coaching and managing career as a batting tutor. Harry and Dixie are the only brothers in MLB history to win batting titles, Dixie won the National League batting title with a .357 average in 1944 while playing for the Dodgers, while Harry accomplished the historical feat in 1947 after a trade from the Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies winning the National League batting title with a .363 average.

After prepping as a skipper in the Cardinals’ minor league system beginning in 1951, Walker was called up from Rochester in the AAA International League on May 28, 1955, to replace Eddie Stanky as Cardinals’ manager.[2] However, the change backfired: the Cards plummeted two places in the standings under Walker, losing 67 of 118 games. Harry was replaced by Fred Hutchinson at the end of the 1955 season, and it would be another decade before he would again manage in the majors.

During that exile, he returned to the Cardinal farm system to manage (1956–58; 1963–64), and served four years (1959–62) as a St. Louis coach. After piloting the Jacksonville Suns to the 1964 International League pennant, Walker was hired[3] by the Pittsburgh Pirates as manager, replacing Danny Murtaugh, who stepped down for health reasons. Although the Pirates did not win a pennant during Walker’s first two seasons, he made an immediate impact. His skill as a batting coach was an important factor in the transformation of the Pirates into the National League’s top offensive team. The Pirates battled for the pennant until the closing days of the 1965 and 1966 seasons — each year finishing third behind the champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the runner-up San Francisco Giants. But when the 1967 Pirates—further strengthened by an off-season trade for standout shortstop Maury Wills—stumbled to a disappointing .500 mark in mid-season, Walker was let go on July 18 in favor of his predecessor, Murtaugh.[4] Less than a week later, Walker was hired to be the organizational batting coach for the Houston Astros.[5]

Eleven months later, on June 18, 1968, the Astros replaced skipper Grady Hatton[6] with “Harry the Hat,” still well-known from his stint as manager of the Texas League's Houston Buffaloes during the late 1950s. Featuring players like Joe Morgan, Jimmy Wynn, and Don Wilson, the Astros finished last in 1968, but their record under Walker was 49-52. In 1969, they contended for the National League West Division title before fading to finish 12 games behind the Atlanta Braves. After back-to-back 79-83 marks in 1970 and 1971, Walker was sacked August 26, 1972, in favor of Leo Durocher; with the Astros at 67-54 and in third place at the time of the firing, it was Walker’s best season in Houston. Over his managing career, he won 630 games, losing 604 (.511). After his firing, Walker returned to the Cardinals as a hitting instructor.[7]

 

[Knotten]

As a fellow baseball fan, let me just say this is super awesome! I was already pining for spring training today. After reading this, I really can't wait. The briefcase is also super cool.


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[rclark]

As a fellow baseball fan, let me just say this is super awesome! I was already pining for spring training today. After reading this, I really can't wait. The briefcase is also super cool.


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Thanks, Knotten! Baseball is already starting around here. In fact, on my way out to take my son to batting practice. First games are at the end of the month. This time of the year around here, the weather could be great for baseball or we could have a tournament snowed/iced out, which happened last year!

 

[Knotten]

Thanks, Knotten! Baseball is already starting around here. In fact, on my way out to take my son to batting practice. First games are at the end of the month. This time of the year around here, the weather could be great for baseball or we could have a tournament snowed/iced out, which happened last year!

My son lives near Ft. Worth, so I know about the weather. I grew up in Phoenix and used to ditch school in March to see Spring training games. I miss those days. Good times.


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[triple-d]

Great hat and great story Rick!! I'm a big Cardinals fan....thanks for sharing!

 

[Landman]

Great hat Rick!

 

[rclark]

Thanks guys! It is certainly not mint. You can tell this was his everyday hat. Not sure why he wore a 3X but had a personalized 100 case unless he had a 100 that got separated from the case at some point.

 

[g.durand]

Rick--thanks for posting this. I lived in Houston in the late 60s and off and on through the late 70s. I remember Harry "The Hat", and spent quite a few afternoons and evenings in the summer of '69 at the Astrodome. My favorite memory is a Joe Morgan walk-off home run in the top of the 10th inning. I don't remember who they were playing, but I can still see the line drive heading for the right field stands. Now if I can just get my hands on a vintage hat with the Shudde Bros trademark on the sweatband...


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[rclark]

Michael, that is a very cool memory! Joe Morgan was a beast. When I was younger, the Astrodome looked so huge, and now it looks tiny compared to Reliant Stadium next door. Regarding the Shudde Bros trademark, if you are serious, what size hat do you wear? I actually have more than one and need to lighten my collection a bit. I actually have a western 7X Clear Beaver from Shudde which is one of my favorite hats!

 

[g.durand]

Rick--I sent you a PM.


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[Landman]

Thanks guys! It is certainly not mint. You can tell this was his everyday hat. Not sure why he wore a 3X but had a personalized 100 case unless he had a 100 that got separated from the case at some point.

Rick,

One of the first men I worked for after college was an older gentleman from the WWII generation. He had a Stetson 100 that he wore but he would use the Stetson case as a suitcase when we would travel. Based on the airline baggage tags on yours it looks like Harry may have done the same thing.

 

[se couvrir]

Rick, by coincidence I have just noticed a book on eBay in case you are not aware....
Bottom of the Ninth An Oral History on the Life of Harry "The Hat" Walker by Larry Powell.
5 available from eshopic (New Jersey)

 

[rclark]

Rick, by coincidence I have just noticed a book on eBay in case you are not aware....
Bottom of the Ninth An Oral History on the Life of Harry "The Hat" Walker by Larry Powell.
5 available from eshopic (New Jersey)

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Frunobulax]

Now on sale on the Bay (not by me):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Excellent-V...745?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4636bdc771

Purchased from the Estate of former Indiana Governor Otis R. Bowen, and he signed the box. The story behind the purchase of the hat is a keeper, too.