Jan. 2011 Pick-up thread...

[vintagesportflips]

Busy day at the estate auction game, as My dad and I picked up a decent group of pennants, and a few early football and baseball relics. In the group was a red and blue stitch baseball and a smaller sized red stitched baseball. The smaller one is probably just about a 1/2 inch less in diameter than the other ball. Has anyone seen a smaller ball like this one? Did they make smaller sized balls for kids in the 1910 to 1920 time period? I know newer little league balls are the same size as regular balls, and it doesn't make sense to make them smaller for kids as they'd be harder to hit anyway. Could this be an earlier 19th century example? Any advice would be appreciated. The football pieces included a Wright and Ditson dog ear, reach shoulder pads, and an unmarked football.
Nice helmet by the way Kevin, any makers mark visible?