I Wonder Why...

[clydepepper]

...there were so many Pirates cards from 1954 through 1957, with players wearing batting helmets - I don't recall any other team doing this.

Does anyone know the story behind this?



PIRATES HARDHAT 54 FACE.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 54 LYNCH.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 54 P SMITH.jpg

PIRATES HARDHAT 55 KING.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 55 CLEMENTE.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 55 SKINNER.jpg

PIRATES HARDHAT 56 E OBRIEN.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 56 MARTIN.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 56 THOMAS.jpg

PIRATES HARDHAT 57 ARROYO.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 57 FOILES.jpgPIRATES HARDHAT 57 KING.jpg

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Clyde when Branch Rickey became the Pirates GM he mandated that the players wear his new invention.

He had experimented with a plastic liner in Brooklyn to protect Jackie Robinson from the anticipated beanings. When he moved to Pittsburgh he made it mandatory for all players. It was a plastic shell that was then flocked to look like a regular cap. Several players resisted but he did not relent and forced the players to use the cap/helmet for several years.

After a severe beaning to Joe Adcock of the Braves most teams made helmets available. Later Adcock said that of all the things Rickey did for baseball that this was the most important.

[clydepepper]

Mike- Thanks for the 'back story'.


-Raymond (not 'Clyde')



.

[steve B]

That's actually more interesting than my planned reply.

Which was along the lines of "well, they threw batteries at Parker, maybe that's some odd Pittsburg tradition"

The parker thing was fans response to him commenting that he had a hard time getting charged up for games, I think either during a contract negotiation, or right after getting a big contract.

Steve B