Sometimes you just get lucky and find what you wanted "that week" (home front patch)

[ocsfollowme]

Earlier this week I posted in the wanted section asking for an obscure patch. No one bit on it. Honestly did not think I would find one. Just loaded up my eBay search pages and it was just listed within 10 minutes and I snatched it up at a BIN of $20.

 

May I present you with a 1942 MLB Health patch (only worn in 1942). "This was the logo of the Hale America initiative, which was basically a “Shape Up!” fitness program that arose in response to America’s entry into World War II following the bombing of Pearl Harbor." Check out the link below for the full story.

 

Since we entered into the War, we needed to make sure that our youth were fit enough for service so there were many programs across the nation that were geared towards this so that young adults were ready for basic training and combat.

 

 

(Red Devil posted this patch back in March but no one commented on it)

 

As always, let me know if you have home front patches as I want to add them to my collection.

 

 

There were a bunch of insignia that were worn by sports players solely in WW2 for the fitness programs for the youth and young adults

 

http://www.uni-watch.com/2013/09/26/a-look-at-some-old-hale-america-patches/

 

When I get it I will add it to my home front collection thread.

[ocsfollowme]

Here it is worn on a 1942 MLB jersey

 

[ocsfollowme]

In 1943, the words "health" were replaced by the full shield as seen here

 

[ocsfollowme]

Here is One-armed St. Louis Browns outfielder Peter Gray with the WWII patch on his sleeve, 1945

 

 

[Red Devil]

GREAT example you found, and at a fantastic price! It is great to see another example out there. I sat through four hours of a glass auction to get mine!

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

Very interesting patch, I'll have to keep my eyes out for one. May I ask why a one-armed man would need to be fit for combat if he can't use a rifle?

[ocsfollowme]

Very interesting patch, I'll have to keep my eyes out for one. May I ask why a one-armed man would need to be fit for combat if he can't use a rifle?

 

I suppose he was still able to hit better than most people. Major league baseball was simply trying to promote healthy and active lifestyles so that the young adults would be fit and fighting ready--able to answer the call if we needed more troops.

 

 

Side note: Apparently someone saw this thread and had one. They are listing it for $250 BIN or best offer. The interesting thing, is since it is a cross collectible, it would get that at a major sporting auction...not on eBay.

[ocsfollowme]

GREAT example you found, and at a fantastic price! It is great to see another example out there. I sat through four hours of a glass auction to get mine!

 

 

Did you know what it was before hand which caused you to wait the four hours? Was it listed properly?

[manayunkman]

I think that what a lot of people don't realize is that there were many physical and mental problems with soldiers in earlier wars.

 

Enough that it was a problem that generated government reports.

 

Programs such as this patch represented were an attempt to reduce these problems and it just makes good sense.

 

Congrats Steve you deserve it for all the hard work you put in to collecting as well as your personal life.

[Red Devil]

 

 

Did you know what it was before hand which caused you to wait the four hours? Was it listed properly?

 

I did know. They had four military patches at the auction and I'd seen it pictured before the auction. They did not know what it was they had and luckily no member of the bidding group did either. Came with a greeback 2nd cav, 1st Marine patch, and an AAF pinwheel on wool. There was a USN dogtag in a later lot but I was so tired that I called it a day and went home!

[McDermut99]

Here is a rather worn example I picked up a few months ago:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/298803-wwii-mlb-health-patch/

[Mr.Jerry]

very nice! Thanks for sharing!