Plastic Helmets

[stejay]

What was the first Major League team to wear plastic batting helmets?

[RuthMayBond]

What was the first Major League team to wear plastic batting helmets?
I've heard at least two Dodgers used them in 1941.
I've heard the Giants wore them later in 1941.
I've heard ALers were required to in 1958.
Take your pick

[stejay]

ill pm you the answer

[NJMetfan4life]

The Pirates had them as an offical hat once.

[Brian McKenna]

Ducky Medwick, Pee Wee Reese (both beaned in 1940) and other Dodgers slipped plastic protectors under their caps on 3/8/1941 in Havana. Medwick wore it the entire game.

It was similar to the ones worn by jockeys. A patent was applied for by Drs. Walter Dandy and George Bennett. MacPhail originally obtained a jockey's cap from Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Gwynne_Vanderbilt) and turned it over to the doctors for modification.

The material, a plastic developed at a Delaware lab, was stronger than metal but was nearly weightless. The piece fit into a zipper pocket within the cap. Separate pieces were developed for righthanded and lefthanded batters. MacPhail felt that each player should wear both pieces.

MacPhail indeed claimed that all the Dodgers would wear them. Ford Frick was behind the idea for the entire league but only MacPhail made it required of the players.

In November 1941 the Class-B Interstate League (pushed by MacPhail) became the first circuit in organized baseball to adopt helmets. They stated though that they couldn't force the players to wear them; however, it was mandatory for the clubs to have them.

At least some Dodgers were still wearing helmets in spring training 1943.

[RuthMayBond]

Ducky Medwick, Pee Wee Reese (both beaned in 1940) and other Dodgers slipped plastic protectors under their caps on 3/8/1941 in Havana. And I had it as 3/7/1941 :bowdown:

[stejay]

yep. Dodgers were first. Pee Wee Reese was the first player too.