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Late 1950s Gus Bell Cincinnati Reds Game Used Batting Helmet
Rare Cincinnati Reds fiberglass batting helmet worn by Gus Bell, circa 1957. The helmet, which displays its original white and red paint, features a red "C" on the front. An early American Baseball Cap (ABC) label is affixed on the interior. Fiberglass helmets were among the earliest type worn by professional players in the 1950s and all examples are scarce today. This example is no exception and represents one of the earliest Cincinnati Reds batting helmets we have offered. In addition to its scarcity, it also comes with a unique provenance. According to an accompanying one-page handwritten letter from the original owner, this helmet was obtained directly from Gus Bell in 1957. As he relates, one of his good friends was Gus Bell's neighbor and he asked his friend to ask Bell if he could have a game used item. Bell was nice enough to honor the request and gifted his batting helmet. As noted in the letter, when the original owner received the cap, he wrote his name and address in ink on the interior leather crown, which has since almost completely faded away. The helmet displays outstanding wear, including abrasions to the exterior and both soiling and hardening to the leather headband and crown. Gus Bell, who was the father of Major League infielder Buddy Bell, enjoyed a successful fifteen-year Major League career, more than half of which was spent in Cincinnati (1953-1961). In 1957, the year he wore this helmet, Bell hit 13 home runs, drove in 61 runs and batted .291. A four-time All-Star, he finished his career with 206 home runs, 942 RBI, and a .281 lifetime average.
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