Here is what I know about ABC helmets after collecting them for six years.
The first helmets were used by the Dodgers in 1941, but widespread use in the majors did not come until the American League passed a rule on March 1, 1958, requiring all players to wear helmets.
Because players were resistant to wear them, some teams, including the Pirates and Yankees, decided to “flock” the helmet’s exterior by applying a soft, velvety material to make them appear more like regular baseball caps.
After Branch Rickey moved to Pittsburgh in 1951 to serve as general manager of the Pirates, “he worked with inventor Ralph Davia and designer Ed Crick on developing a hard, molded shell with a visor and protective padding inside.” Rickey then established the American Baseball Cap Inc. (later renamed ABC) in his small office at Forbes Field, and in 1953, Rickey required that all Pirates hitters wear the ABC helmets.
In the 1960s, the ABC helmets were fiberglass with either an exterior that was flocked (with cloth logo on front) or painted exterior with hand painted logo on front.
By the early 1970s, plastic was being used across America (think Tupperware), and ABC helmets and logos were made of plastic (but much stronger plastic than that used on cheap souvenir helmets). However, the inside padding was still leather. This is when the embossed (i.e., stamped by machine) ABC logo began appearing on the lower back portion of the helmets.
By the early 1980s, the inside padding had changed (became thicker) and the team’s front logo was made of a more durable hard plastic.
In 1983, it was mandatory for new players to use a helmet with at least one earflap. However, players who had previously used “flapless” helmets were grandfathered in, so they could continue to use helmets without flaps.
By the late 1980s, the ABC logo was no longer embossed but was a sticker too. In the early 1990s, helmets were part of the “Diamond Collection,” and the MLB logo sticker was added to the back.
Sometime around 2000, the ABC logo changed to an oval shape with a big A in the middle. Then Rawlings bought ABC in 2003.
Comments, corrections, and / or clarifications are welcomed!
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