The Museum: MLB National League Baseballs. Official National League Baseballs. Made by Spalding from 1878–1976 and Rawlings from 1977–1999. NL Presidents: Nicholas Young 1885–1902, Harry Pulliam 1903–1909, John Heydler 1909–1910 & 1918–1934, Thomas Lynch 1910–1913, John Tener 1913–1918, Ford Frick 1934–1951, Warren Giles 1951–1969, Charles Feeney 1969–1986, Bart Giamatti 1986–1989, William White 1989–1994, Leonard Coleman 1994–1999.
The following baseballs were used by the National League of Major League Baseball. NL balls were first made by Spalding in the late 19th Century. In 1976, Rawlings took over as the exclusive supplier for the the NL and AL. Today, Rawlings is MLB’s exclusive baseball manufacturer and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Major League Baseball. The NL & AL League Presidents’ Official ceased operations at the end of the 1999 season, and in 2000 universal MLB baseballs replaced all NL and AL balls.
A 1926 Spalding National League Presidents’ Golden Jubilee ball. This baseball was part of a two-ball gift set that included an official NL game ball from the period. It was crafted for, and presented to dignitaries to honor the 50th anniversary of the National League. The celebration was held at the Hotel Astor in New York City.
“Past and present baseball luminaries in attendance that night were the only ones given this handsome keepsake and rarely have they appeared for public sale since,” according to Lelands.com.
This NL 50th Anniversary ball features a red facsimile stamped signature of NL Pres. John Heydler over the Spalding “Trade Mark” logo. These balls were then adorned with stickers featuring the image of each of the eight league presidents. Obviously, this isn’t an on-field game ball in its current state, but it was manufactured the same as on-field balls, and is worth highlighting here. Photo credit: RuppDesign.com.
