Vintage Sports Character Watches

 It's always time for character watches...Watches with Character.  

Vintage Babe Ruth, Baseball All-Star, Bugs Bunny Baseball, Charlie Brown, Dizzy Dean, Football All-Pro, Goofy hockey, Goofy tennis, Hank Aaron, Harlem Globetrotter, Junior League, Mickey Mouse baseball, Mickey Mouse basketball, Mickey Mouse football, Mickey Mouse jogger, Mickey Mouse soccer, Mickey Mouse tennis, Muhammad Ali, Peter Puck, Snoopy tennis, Sport Billy Character Watches.

In 1929, Benrus produced the first Un-official Babe Ruth wristwatch with "Babe Ruth” signature facsimile on the dial for $39.75. 

Dizzy Dean, (January 16, 1910 – July 17, 1974) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played for St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Browns. In 1934, he was the first sports star to be portrayed on a character watch when Everbrite Watch Company produced a full figure image of Dean pitching with a facsimile of his signature and a small second hand dial between his legs. Hard to find today especially with the original box.

In 1935, Ingraham produced a 17-jewel wristwatch with just the name “Babe Ruth” on the dial and a nice picture of him and a baseball on the box only, all for $14.95. 

In 1948, Exacta Time Corporation produced the Official Babe Ruth wristwatch even endorsed by Joe DiMaggio. A chest up picture of Ruth holding two bats is centered on a baseball diamond with a green field background and three red baseball plates along with a facsimile of his signature. The luminous numbers are off white on an outer circle with a white background with outer minute marks and with the five-minute numbers showing on an inner circle which also has black minute marks. There is a red second hand and luminous hour and minute hands to tell the time. These came with a plastic baseball also with a facsimile of his signature and the watch contained inside. Baseball and box are hard to find today. In 1992, this was reproduced with a quartz movement.

In 1956, Bradley produced this Junior League Baseball watch for the kid’s market. It has a boy dressed in his baseball uniform with hat and shirt ready to swing his baseball bat in the center of a large baseball as the background with black numbers, black minute marks on a green background and black hands to tell the time. Bradley produced a Junior Nurse to appeal to girls at the time, see my 1930-1950's blog.

In the late 1950's and early 1960’s, Bradley produced several more sports watches for kids.

Bradley produced this All-Star baseball with a green background with black minutes, black minute marks and black hands with white tips to tell the time. The image of the baseball has a facsimile of the signatures of four All-Stars, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Willie Mays and Sandy Koufax. Marked Swiss made. Bradley also produced this with a black background (see below) & both usually without the Sandy Koufax signature, having it is more rare.

Here is the black background All-Star baseball without the Sandy Koufax signature which is the more commonly found version with white minutes, white minute marks and black hands with white tips to tell the time. The image of the baseball has a facsimile of the signatures of three All-Stars, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, & Willie Mays. Marked Swiss made.

At the same time, Bradley also produced an All-Pro football watch. The football is centered on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks and black hands to tell the time. The image of the football has a facsimile of the signatures of four All-Pro stars, Mike Ditka, Y.A. Tittle, Jim Taylor & Jim Brown. Marked Swiss made.

In the 1970's Babe Ruth got another watch this time a 17 jewel beauty by Helbros with "The Bambino's" picture of his head wearing his Yankees cap on a white background with blue circles for the numbers and black minute marks, perfect baseball bat hands and a second hand with a baseball at the end to tell the time. Marked with a facsimile of his signature and the word baseball for this seldom seen watch.

1970s Hank Aaron by Trice Watching Company. One of the greatest baseball players ever, "Hammering" Hank Aaron is all smiles wearing his black Braves cap and white jersey on a sky blue background with baseball bases for numbers 3,6 & 9 and black numbers for the rest along with black minute marks and black hands to tell the time. Marked with a facsimile of his signature and Swiss made at the bottom of this great but hard to find watch.

Here is Charlie Brown by Determined from the 1970s which is also featured on my Peanuts blog. Charlie Brown is standing on the pitcher's mound wearing his red baseball cap with a matching red shirt and black pants on a bright yellow background, black numbers, and Charlies hands to tell the time.

 Here is a Harlem Globetrotters by Bradley from 1972. Here we have a Globetrotter in their standard red, white, and blue jersey, having all the moves on the court. It has red numbers with red minute marks except for the 3, 6, 9, & 12 which look like basketballs and has his arms to tell the time. Marked Swiss made at the bottom.

 Lafayette also made a version in 1974. Here the big smiling Globetrotter is depicted as running in his blue and white star jersey with red and white stripped shorts, red and white socks and blue sneakers with red soles all on a white dial with blue 3,6,9.12 and blue stars for the other numbers, his arms to tell the time along with a basketball that rotates as the second hand. Marked with the world Harlem Globetrotters symbol and Swiss made, Lafayette Watch Co. 1974 Harlem Globetrotters Inc. at the bottom.

 Also, in the 1970’s, Bradley produced several Mickey Mouse and Goofy sport watches for Disney which you seldom see on the secondary market except for the Mickey/Minnie Tennis watch (see below). 

 

Here is Mickey Mouse baseball by Bradley. Mickey is at bat wearing a big smile, green hat, off white uniform, and yellow shoes with cleats all on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, black hands and a red second hand WITH a baseball on the end to tell the time. Marked Walt Disney Productions Swiss made. A rare find today.

Here is Mickey Mouse basketball by Bradley. Mickey is dribbling the ball wearing a big smile in his yellow top and blue shorts and his two-tone sneakers all on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, black hands and a black second hand WITH a basketball on the end to tell the time. Marked Walt Disney Productions Swiss made. A rare find today.

 

Here is Mickey Mouse by Bradley in his football uniform. Mickey has a big smile while holding his football helmet wearing his red jersey with the number one on it. He has his foot on the football all on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, black hands and a red second hand (with no ball on the end) to tell the time. Marked Walt Disney Productions Swiss made.

These came in either a plastic Bradley pouch, a square clear case as noted below for Mickey playing soccer or these coffin style boxes. This one with a faded pic of Mickey playing football on one side and a faded description on the other side, still a nice treasure!

With the Bradley Disney sport watches, some versions have the balls on the end of the second hand while others don't. Here is an example of Mickey football with the ball at the end of the second hand compared to the one above without it.

Here is a super rare Mickey Mouse jogger watch by Bradley Time from the 1970s. Mickey Mouse is the second hand that rotates around the dial appearing to be jogging win a white circle in the middle with his name on a larger circle with red numbers as race signs on a gold background, red hands to tell the time and of course jogging Mickey Mouse that rotates for the seconds. Marked Swiss made, Walt Disney Productions. This prize is also listed under my Mickey Mouse, the Original Character watch blog.

 Here is Goofy playing hockey by Bradley. Goofy is in action on his skates following the puck at the 5 position with his stick in the air and his helmet flying off wearing a red shirt, yellow shorts, black/red leggings and with white skates and gloves on a white background with black numbers, red dots for the five marks and black hands to tell the time. Marked Walt Disney Productions. Who wouldn't want this amazing & super rare sport Goofy watch?

Here is a rare Mickey Mouse playing soccer where his foot ticks back and forth for the seconds by Bradley 1978. Smiling Mickey is dressed in a blue and white outfit to play soccer about to kick the soccer ball into the goal on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks and black hands to tell the time. Marked Bradley, Swiss made, Walt Disney Productions. I've also seen Mickey in a red and white outfit on a half green (to look like grass) background, see below.

 

    These Bradley watches usually came in their standard square plastic boxes, plastic sleeves or coffin type boxes.

Here is a rare Mickey Mouse playing soccer where his foot ticks back and forth for the seconds by Bradley 1978. This is essentially the same as above soccer watch but with Smiling Mickey on a green background that looks like grass this time dressed in a red and white outfit to play soccer about to kick the soccer ball into the goal with black numbers, black minute marks and black hands to tell the time. Marked Bradley, Swiss made, Walt Disney Productions.

Here is Goofy playing tennis by Bradley. Looking like he just hit the ball with his broken racket, Goofy is in a blue hat, blue sweats, and his white & blue tennis shoes on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, red dots for the five marks and black hands including a black second hand to tell the time. Marked Swiss made Walt Disney Productions.

Mickey Mouse playing tennis by Bradley.  Smiling Mickey is in good form about to return a lob dressed in white shorts with a side blue stripe and a turquoise blue shirt with white collar on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, black hands including a black second hand WITH a tennis ball at the end of it to tell the time. Marked Walt Disney Productions, Swiss made. What a great super rare find.

Mickey Mouse & Minnie playing tennis by Bradley. Mickey and Minnie are enjoying a game of tennis both wearing white on a green tennis court background all on a larger white background with only minute marks for the numbers, black hands and a black second had WITH a tennis ball at the end to tell the time. Marked Swiss made Walt Disney Productions.

1980s Muhammad Ali by Bradley has the Great one ready for action in his boxing shorts and gloves on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, black hands including a black second hand and his facsimile signature.  Marked Herbert Muhammad Enterprises Inc. Swiss made, “The Greatest” and Bradley on his waist band.

Here is a 1973 super rare Peter Puck for the NHL, a concept by NBC executive/NY Rangers ticket holder Donald Carswell who partnered with Hanna- Barbera to help introduce hockey to kids. Here is smiling Peter Puck with a large yellow mouth on a gray face and big eyes & eye brows, wearing red skates all on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks, a red second hand and his red gloved hands to tell the time. What a prize! Marked Swiss made, 1973 Hanna Barbera Productions Inc. I've include this on my Hanna Barbera blog also. Very few of these around.

1970s, Snoopy playing tennis by Timex has a determined looking Snoopy playing tennis, holding a tennis racket and wearing his sun visor on a red background with black numbers outlined in white a rotating tennis ball for the second hand and his hands to tell the time. Marked Copr 1958 United Feature Syndicate Inc. signed by Schulz with original red vinyl band. Inside marked Timex zero jewel unadjusted. There is a yellow version & a denim version also that you can find on my Peanuts blog

Here is a 70s/80s Bugs Bunny produced by R Gsell and Company for Warner Brothers. Bugs is wearing a red baseball cap and wearing his glove waiting to play ball on a white background with black numbers and his arms to tell the time along with a baseball that rotates for the second hand. Marked "I'm Bugs about baseball", Warner Bros. Inc. Swiss made. This watch is also featured in my Warner Brothers blog. 

Here is a 1979 Sport Billy by Bradley for the FIFA (Federation International Football Association), mostly sold in Europe. Sport Billy is dressed in a red uniform with white pants and red/white socks. His foot ticks back and forth for the seconds. This is the same Bradley watch they used for Mickey Mouse (see above). Sport Billy is on a green background for the grass and a larger white background with yellow numbers, black minute marks and red hands to tell the time. Marked Sport Billy Productions 1979, Swiss made FIFA. What a great find.

Here is a 1979 Sport Billy Tachymetre for the FIFA (Federation International Football Association), mostly sold in Europe. Slightly smiling Sport Billy is dressed in a red uniform with blue pants and red/blue socks as he is kicking the ball on a white background with black numbers, black minute marks and black hands to tell the time. Marked Swiss made with the FIFA symbol. 

For more Information on Watches see:
The National Watch and Clock Museum:  https://nawcc.org/index.php/museum

The West Coast Clock & watch museum https://www.agsem.com/West-Coast-Clock-and-Watch-Museum.php which is located at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum http://www.agsem.com/
 

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It's always time for character watches...Watches with Character.