Baseball Glove from the Arthur Lavonne Gilmore (M660)

Arthur Lavonne Gilmore, Sr. was born on May 16, 1897. He was a private in the United States Army. He died on September 13,1974, and was buried in Hattiesburg's Highland Cemetery. Arthur Lavonne Gilmore, Jr. was born on March 8, 1922. He began his teaching career at Picayune High School, Tulane University, and Pearl River Community College where he taught physics, chemistry, and math. He has retired from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers' Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg as a mathematician and computer specialist. Gilmore Jr. also served in the United States Army during World War II. Arthur Lavonne Gilmore, Jr. died on April 8, 2015, and was buried in Highland Cemetery with his father.

The history of the baseball glove can be traced back to the mid-1800s when players would experiment with a glove to protect their hands. With the increasing number of hand injuries in baseball games, gloves became normal to use in the 1890s. The most common gloves used in  Major League Baseball today are produced by Rawlings. In 1920, St. Louis pitcher, Bill Doak, sold his patents to Rawlings which included a web between the thumb and index finger. We are unsure about the ownership of the glove, but it doesn't include the webbing material, so we can conclude that it was created before 1920. If this is correct, the glove may probably belonged to Gilmore Sr.

Along with the baseball glove is a baseball with the stitching of Arthur L. Gilmore, Jr. written on it. Before the baseball used now was created, baseballs in the 1800's were referred to as the "lemon peel" due to their size and stitching design. They were only 6 inches, weighed less, were darker in color and softer than the ball used now. Since this was the case, these balls could be hit further and bounce higher. Changes were made to the restrictions of the baseball in the 1850s, so that the ball would weigh more and not be as bouncy.

In what is referred to as America's National Pastime, baseball has played an active role in the shaping of this nation. It is a sport that has been enjoyed in this nation for roughly 200 years. Baseball has brought the nation together after several tragedies including both World Wars and the 9/11 attacks. During World War II, the women's baseball league was created so baseball could still be enjoyed while the men were at war. This women's league is portrayed in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own.

For more information about this collection, go to the collection guide. If you have any additional questions, contact Jennifer Brannock at or 601.266.4347.  

Created by Gabriela Wilcox, sophomore, broadcast journalism major.

**Items of the Month featured in 2022 and part of 2024 will be the work of Southern Miss students who took HON 303, a seminar held in Fall 2022 focusing on archives and special collections.