Post New Hats Here!

[moontheloon]

Lightning has struck twice. The above hat would have been my dream hat, except it was a large 7 3/8 and I'm halfway between 7 1/4 and 7 3/8...so I sold it about a year ago. A couple of weeks ago I spotted the fourth one of these that I have ever seen evidence of - the first two belonged to Johnny "Big Cat" Mize and was beat to heck, and the second was also a little rough and belonged to I forget who.

This one popped up in a recent auction and I fought it out and eventually won it, spending about $150 more than planned, and having only a slight idea as to size. It turned out to be mint condition and had been mothballed with a minimal crease, presumably from when co-owner Del Webb had the team and associates pose for his publicity photos - many of the players, few of whom were anything close to cowboys, sported a slight crease. Johnny Mize was one of the exceptions and had a nice well-worn teardrop, if memory serves. The new hat turned out to be a large 7 1/4 with the tag folded behind the sweat. As a result of obtaining this hat, I also learned a little more about the history of team owner Del Webb's 'Yankee hat publicity stunt'. The owner of my first hat, Bob Muncrief, only played one year with the Yankees (1951) and appeared in 2 games, pitching 3 innings. The owner of this one saw even less action.

The original owner of my newest Dobbs 50 was Al Werner, a member of the New York Yankees broadcasting team. This would seemingly once and for all debunk the theory of the auction houses that sold the first two of these, that the players were given the choice of a hat or a ring for their World Series victory. Unfortunately, the LOA I received with this hat has an even dumber spin on the same idea: "In 1951, we're told, the monotony of rings had lost its glitter for Yankee announcer, Al Werner. He cared to be recognized for his contribution, but requested a token of practical purpose. To accommodate, Dobbs Fifth Avenue, that famed New York haberdashery, commissioned the making of this ultra-suede fedora." Great theory, but it doesn't explain why Mr. Werner never actually wore the hat.

To repeat the actual facts, from '1951 When the Giants Played the Game': "The Yanks would be preparing to defend their crown in Phoenix, Arizona, while Leo Durocher's Giants took over the St. Petersburg Florida site. The switch was prompted by Yankees co-owner Del Webb, who resided in Phoenix and had wanted to bring his team to the Southwestern city for some time....Webb had purchased $50 cowboy hats for each player to wear around Phoenix. New York baseball writer Dan Daniel wrote of Yogi Berra: 'Hopalong Berra looks especially funny, as his hat happens to be too small for him.' Berra also complained that it was difficult to find a good selection of comic books in Phoenix."

The Yankees played most of their 1951 Spring Training games in Phoenix Municipal stadium. It was Mickey Mantle's rookie year (so he would been given one of these hats as would have Joe DiMaggio, who was in his final season) and he made quite an impression. I attended a couple of Phoenix Firebird games in this stadium back in the 1980's - wish I would have known then that Mantle had played his first Yankee games there, but I obliviously enjoyed myself anyway.

Here is my second of these hats - thank you Al Werner. If a third ever shows up, I'm sure one of you will be enlightened enough to save me from building a collection of them (please).

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No idea how this was not on my radar

Absolutely stunning!!!!

Congrats

 

[Bob Roberts]

this is a modern Stetson New York LE excellent quality
2 5/8 brim
5 1/2 crown
Under welt
the color is called Phantom Grey but it is more of a taupe to my eye ... somewhere between grey and some sort of tannish color

The felt is very nice
The crease you see is dry and most likely temporary ... but I like it pretty well creased like this ...for the moment at least .
Nice change of pace.

The hat is softer than I expected and is constructed surprisingly well .
I'm sure it will eventually end up with a diamond crease but for now it looks like this

apologies for the poorly lit shots but it's pitch black outside

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Nice big side dents and a great brim flange. Brim looks good up my Friend and you know I love that color!

 

[ScottF]

No idea how this was not on my radar

Absolutely stunning!!!!

Congrats

Thanks. I did not get this on ebay. Don't worry about missing out on anything - when I purchase hats through non-ebay venues, I rarely get any deal over what you would find on ebay. This was the most I ever paid for a fedora, barely above the previous Dobbs 50. I only have two hats now, so I feel no guilt!

Regarding baseball-related hats, I used to own a beautiful fedora "made expressly for Phil Rizzuto". The problem with such hats is that you hate to wear them for fear of ruining their historical significance via sweat and the elements. I've tried for hats that belonged to Edison, Einstein, Truman, Oppenheimer, Jack Dempsey and others, and lost each time. My dream celebrity hat moment would be to wear an actual Tom Landry sideline-worn hat while watching the Cowboys in the Superbowl.

 

[Redfokker]

what size are you ?

if you have the opportunity to go vintage then definitely go that way

I overpaid for this hat without a doubt ... not the first time I've done it and probably not the last

no regrets

I'm a 7 1/4 LO, so I won't be paying the high prices for large noggin hats. I really have no idea if a $350 Whippet or Strat is unreasonable or not. I have been scared by seeing prices go nuts on Ebay. Maybe I should just pay the $2000 for that Stetson listed the other day!!

 

[Frunobulax]

Lightning has struck twice. The above hat would have been my dream hat, except it was a large 7 3/8 and I'm halfway between 7 1/4 and 7 3/8...so I sold it about a year ago. A couple of weeks ago I spotted the fourth one of these that I have ever seen evidence of - the first two belonged to Johnny "Big Cat" Mize and was beat to heck, and the second was also a little rough and belonged to I forget who.

This one popped up in a recent auction and I fought it out and eventually won it, spending about $150 more than planned, and having only a slight idea as to size. It turned out to be mint condition and had been mothballed with a minimal crease, presumably from when co-owner Del Webb had the team and associates pose for his publicity photos - many of the players, few of whom were anything close to cowboys, sported a slight crease. Johnny Mize was one of the exceptions and had a nice well-worn teardrop, if memory serves. The new hat turned out to be a large 7 1/4 with the tag folded behind the sweat. As a result of obtaining this hat, I also learned a little more about the history of team owner Del Webb's 'Yankee hat publicity stunt'. The owner of my first hat, Bob Muncrief, only played one year with the Yankees (1951) and appeared in 2 games, pitching 3 innings. The owner of this one saw even less action.

]

Very cool.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[moontheloon]

I'm a 7 1/4 LO, so I won't be paying the high prices for large noggin hats. I really have no idea if a $350 Whippet or Strat is unreasonable or not. I have been scared by seeing prices go nuts on Ebay. Maybe I should just pay the $2000 for that Stetson listed the other day!!

You are my exact size and unfortunately we are right on the cusp of when things become scarce.
Prices have been nuts as of late but it will calm down.
It really is interesting the difference between what a 1/8 will go for as opposed to what a 1/4 will go for.
That border right there is exactly where you cross over into high demand apparently.
As a sidenote I have a modern excellent Strat in sage for a really good price in classifieds if you have any interest in something like that


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[FedOregon]

You are my exact size and unfortunately we are right on the cusp of when things become scarce.
Prices have been nuts as of late but it will calm down.
It really is interesting the difference between what a 1/8 will go for as opposed to what a 1/4 will go for.
That border right there is exactly where you cross over into high demand apparently.
As a sidenote I have a modern excellent Strat in sage for a really good price in classifieds if you have any interest in something like that


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I agree with you about the pricing for smaller, less-in-demand, hats versus larger. I have been able to pick up really nice hats for my wife and daughter that I couldn't afford at my size, which runs between 7-3/8 and 7-1/2.

The risk is paying a lot for a 7-3/8 and then having it turn out to be just too darn small... and the other end with 7-1/2 just being ridiculously too big.

 

[Redfokker]

You are my exact size and unfortunately we are right on the cusp of when things become scarce.
Prices have been nuts as of late but it will calm down.
It really is interesting the difference between what a 1/8 will go for as opposed to what a 1/4 will go for.
That border right there is exactly where you cross over into high demand apparently.
As a sidenote I have a modern excellent Strat in sage for a really good price in classifieds if you have any interest in something like that


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I saw that Strat. My wife had me update my Amazon list so the Mother In Law had something to go on for my Christmas list. I added a Strat and a whippet that came up in their search. I'm pretty sure this will be my present this year. I am really interested in the Sage one though. Excellent quality seems to be the way to go with today's Stetsons. It looks really nice. I need a green hat...

 

[buler]

Very cool hat, Scott! Glad to see you are still in the hunt. Perhaps this picture is of Berra wearing his '51 hat.

B

 

[Frunobulax]

^^^^^That is a great example of a hat wearing the wearer!

 

[RJR]

^^^^^That is a great example of a hat wearing the wearer!

+1

 

[ScottF]

I'm a 7 1/4 LO, so I won't be paying the high prices for large noggin hats. I really have no idea if a $350 Whippet or Strat is unreasonable or not. I have been scared by seeing prices go nuts on Ebay. Maybe I should just pay the $2000 for that Stetson listed the other day!!

I believe that those prices are very unreasonable. My opinion is based on the fact that if I just check antique stores, estate sales and Goodwill every now and then, that I will find a great hat that fits me, for under $50. It happens often enough.

Very cool hat, Scott! Glad to see you are still in the hunt. Perhaps this picture is of Berra wearing his '51 hat.

B


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It is! I believe I included a copy of that photo with the last one of these when I sold it. There are also pics floating around of the entire team wearing their hats, and I think also one of Hank Bauer.

Meanwhile, I dug around and found a photo of Johnny Mize's Dobbs 50. It is actually in great shape (or was), so it must be the other one (that I can't find a pic of) that is trashed.

Here are pics of '51 Yankees wearing their Dobbs 50's:

 

[ScottF]

Here are the Mize, Moncrief and Werner Dobbs 50's. The ribbon on the Mize hat is the same color as my new one. The Moncrief ribbon was more of a copper color. I like the new one more, as it gives it more of an OR look.

 

[moontheloon]

Here are the Mize, Moncrief and Werner Dobbs 50's. The ribbon on the Mize hat is the same color as my new one. The Moncrief ribbon was more of a copper color. I like the new one more, as it gives it more of an OR look.

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I would be completely content if that was the only hat I ever owned ...

just absolute perfection

 

[ScottF]

I would be completely content if that was the only hat I ever owned ...

just absolute perfection

Thanks. I feel the same way, but if I were to see another really cool-looking hat today, I would grab it. The only way I've found to avoid a huge hat collection is to avoid hats.

 

[Bamaboots]

I would be completely content if that was the only hat I ever owned ...

just absolute perfection

For every OR clone I buy, I think that is what I keep trying to replicate.

 

[RJR]

Here are the Mize, Moncrief and Werner Dobbs 50's. The ribbon on the Mize hat is the same color as my new one. The Moncrief ribbon was more of a copper color. I like the new one more, as it gives it more of an OR look.

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Ideal!

 

[Michael R.]

Here are the Mize, Moncrief and Werner Dobbs 50's. The ribbon on the Mize hat is the same color as my new one. The Moncrief ribbon was more of a copper color. I like the new one more, as it gives it more of an OR look.

View attachment 62228 View attachment 62229 View attachment 62231

That felt looks about as perfect as it can get ! Wow ! What a Sharp Hat !

 

[Chamuco]

Gannon in Whiskey, arrived along a box of 8 Viboras Mezcal...great day, feels like Christmas !!

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[FedOregon]

Top shelf, there, Rodolfo! Nice shoes, too!