Presented is an amazing 1951 Bob Usher Cincinnati Reds complete game used ensemble: jersey, pants with belt, fielding glove, cap, cleats, stirrups and socks. Bob Usher was a Major League outfielder who played in six Major League seasons: Cincinnati Reds (1946-47) & (1950-51), Chicago Cubs (1952), Cleveland Indians (1957), Washington Senators (1957). A Navy veteran in WWII, Usher was mostly a center fielder. He used excellent speed and provided outstanding defense. He was 6'1", batted and threw as a righty, and compiled a .235 career batting average with 18 home runs. In 1951, he played in 114 games, batting .208 as the Reds finished in 6th place in the NL. In a 2010 letter to writer Tom Owen, published in Baseball by the Letters, Usher cites one of his career highlight home runs as: "My first home run. Hit it off left-handed Woody Abernathy [of the New York Giants] on July 28, 1946[,] in the N.Y. Polo Grounds."
The offered gray, away, flannel jersey has "CINCINNATI" in red, sewn-on letters across the chest. The left sleeve as a 1951 sewn-on red, white, and blue patch. Six gray buttons run down the front, with the seventh button, at bottom, missing. The neck has a mostly detached tag reading, "USHER 24." It appears that at least one tag is missing from the neck, most likely a manufacturer's tag that could have listed the size - as no size appears on the jersey. On back is "24" in sewn-on red numerals with navy blue trim. The jersey shows fine use, with sweat stains, other small and/or light stains, and some minor thread loss.
The fielding glove is a Ted Williams model, with a facsimile Ted Williams signature on the inner pinky finger. The glove has with a "Wilson" manufacturer's tag on the back of the strap. The glove is approx. 7 inches in height and 8" in width. On the side of the thumb slot is "USHER" hand-printed in large letters by an unknown hand. The glove appears to have a repair on the leather of the inside thumb slot and some surface loss of leather on the back, ring finger slot. Overall, the glove shows great use.
The gray pants have a manufacturer's tag on the inside waist reading, "MacGregor Gold Smith Size 36" and a sewn-on "USHER 24" embroidered tag in the waist. The pants have four white buttons down the fly. There is a navy blue belt. Each of the two back pockets has a gray button. The pants have a few small and/or light stains and exhibit nice use.
The cap is navy blue with a red, embroidered "C" in front. Inside the cap is a large hand-printed "USHER 24" in an unknown hand. The bill of the cap shows a break in the inside material, visible from the underside. The inside of the cap bill shows a few places with material loss, and the inside hatband exhibits some small stains, sweat stains, and surface loss.
The pair of white sanitary socks shows "USHER" hand printed by an unknown hand, in red marker at the top of each one. These sanitary socks are approx. 29" long and show fine wear. The pair of red stirrup socks has an embroidered "25" in white thread. Wearing uniform number 25 on the '51 Cincinnati Reds were both Hank Edwards and Wally Post, so the included socks might have been given to Usher by either of the above players. These stirrup socks have a few tiny holes but are in otherwise fine condition.
The black cleats have no indication of size, but they are 11" in length and appear to be roughly a size 9/9.5. The inside tongue of the right shoe has a Rawlings manufacturer's tag, and each cleat has "B U" or "B.U," Bob Usher's initials, hand-printed in black marker by an unknown hand. The cleats show scuffs and surface wear. The letters and numbers on the ensemble are all original. It is so rare to find a complete, all-original playing ensemble from a baseball player, especially a vintage complete ensemble from 1951, so the offering represents an outstanding opportunity for a great, vintage addition to any collection.