1953 Goldfields Baseball League blazer
1953A 1953 Goldfields Baseball League blazer of dark-blue woollen fabric with three pockets. A 15mm wide horizontal piece of yellow ribbon braid is stitched to the top edge of the breast pocket. A yellow shield-shaped piece of fabric has been appliqued to the centre of the pocket. Embroidered on the shield are two crossed blue baseball bats with a white baseball sitting where the bats cross. Embroidered around the bats, in blue threads, are 'Goldfields B. L. 1953'.
In 1953, a representative team from the Western Australian Goldfields travelled to Adelaide, South Australia to compete in a Coronation Baseball Carnival, held from 30th May to 1st June to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
A 'Country Series' was contested by teams from the South Australian Country and Minor leagues, Mount Gambier and the Broken Hill League, as well as the Goldfields team.
In addition to the 'Country Series', the South Australian and Victorian state teams played each other, with the Goldfields team playing in a curtain-raiser to the main event.
This blazer was worn by a member of that Goldfields team when departing by train from Kalgoorlie and on arrival in Adelaide, and again on the return trip home. Although the wearer of the blazer is unknown, provenance through Colin Smith, a member of the team, confirms that the players wore such blazers and that this was the only representative team from the Goldfields in 1953.
Details
Details
[On pocket patch]
'Goldfields B.L.'
'1953'
[Manufacturer's label]
'Made from all pure wool'
'The Doctor Flannel'
[Retailer's label]
'Senor Sports Wear'
'W.A. Headwear & Clothing Pty. Ltd.'
'842 Hay Street'
'Perth'
The 1950s was a golden era for baseball in the Western Australian Goldfields and this blazer is a rare and significant piece of sporting memorabilia from that time and place. It was donated to the Baseball WA Museum & Archives by Neale Harvey, himself a Goldfields baseball player who represented Australia in the World Championships in the 1980s.
This item has social and historic significance, as it displays the style of uniform and dress code for representative baseball teams from that era. Its rarity, age and provenance make it an important addition to the Museum's collection.
More items like this
Other items from Baseball WA
-
Greg Harvey's 1985 WA Brewers baseball cap
-
1983 Australian baseball team - 12th Asian Baseball Championship Series
-
1947 Australian Team baseball pocket badge
-
1994/95 Perth Heat baseball fixtures poster
-
Perth Heat pitchers Alvin Sheppard, Shane Tonkin, Dave White, Scott Connor
-
Graeme Lloyd's Perth Heat playing top No. 27
-
1959 W. Symonds Medal - Goldfields Baseball League - Dale Hughes
-
1969 Mickle Medal awarded to Dale Hughes - Claxton Shield Series
-
Dale Hughes' 1960s Western Australian State baseball team cap
-
1956 Country Week Champions - Goldfields Baseball League
-
1939 Baseball Glove Belonging to Ben Shom
-
1966 Claxton Shield Series baseball - signed
Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->
