CrashingTheGoalie

Baseball’s first head gear was introduced in the early 20th Century.

Inventor Frank Mogridge designed an inflatable boxing glove-looking thing in 1905. The A.J. Reach Company of Philadelphia sold it for $5.

Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan experimented with “head harnesses” and developed a leather batting helmet in 1908.

Necessity was the mother of invention, as he had been severely injured by a beaning.

The earliest versions were made of soft leather and were predominantly designed to cover the ears. The first helmets offering full protection of the skull and featuring holes in the earflaps were introduced between 1915 and 1917. During the 1920s and 1930s, makers began to utilize harder leathers and some fabric cushioning for greater protection and helmets finally caught on just after World War Two.

The BIKE Athletic Company – based in Knoxville, TN – claims that it invented the athletic supporter as we know it in 1874.

The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball credits catcher Claude Berry with introducing the cup to major league baseball in 1904.

So, baseball – like hockey players – were more concerned with their knackers than their heads.

NHL owners and players continue this tradition today.