BIG LEAGUE BASEBALLS.com | MUSEUM OF BASEBALLS | AMERICAN LEAGUE | Reach Spalding AL MacPhail Baseball 1974
Select image size
About the Ball: Reach / Spalding American League MacPhail-stamped ball. Likely the last Reach-stamped baseball made, and the very first American League President Lee MacPhail regular game ball, which would date it to 1974.
Although A.G. Spalding owned A.J. Reach since the late 19th Century, it had always stamped AL Balls with a Reach company logo. After this ball, Spalding used it own stamp for the next two years of American League baseballs, the same stamp it used for National League baseballs. Reach was completely phased out in branding of AL balls.
About AL President Lee MacPhail: He was American League President from 1974 to 1984. He was credited with bringing an end to the 1981 baseball strike when he stepped in to handle stalled negotiations.
Although A.G. Spalding owned A.J. Reach since the late 19th Century, it had always stamped AL Balls with a Reach company logo. After this ball, Spalding used it own stamp for the next two years of American League baseballs, the same stamp it used for National League baseballs. Reach was completely phased out in branding of AL balls.
About AL President Lee MacPhail: He was American League President from 1974 to 1984. He was credited with bringing an end to the 1981 baseball strike when he stepped in to handle stalled negotiations.
MacPhail also played a major role in the 1983 Pine Tar Game, where a home run was taken away from Kansas City Royals slugger George Brett. (Source: Wiki)
